Pursuing his Mate
by Shiara-dono
Summary: Kenshin never planned on having a mate, until Kaoru entered his life. The only problem? She's human. Yup, still suck at summaries. Warning: not for those who like Tomoe. KK Complete.
1. Chapter 1

_Alas, I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I also do not own the Twilight series, or any other vampire stories that this may make one think of._

**Pursuing his Mate**

_By: Shiara-dono_

_Chapter 1_

"So, Kenshin. This is some party." Yukishiro Tomoe cooed, draping herself over the arm of the chair. "I especially love the Bloody Marys. They're so much better with real blood than tomato juice." She took a sip of the drink she was holding, sighing in pleasure.

Himura Kenshin rolled his eyes, leaning into the other side of the chair he was sitting in, putting distance between him and the woman. _To think I ever liked her._ He yawned, bored of her fawning, and surveyed the room. Each person had a drink of some kind in their hands, all, no doubt, mixed with blood. _Comes with the territory of being vampires._

A few people came over to stand next to his chair. One, a tall man with spiky hair and a red bandana around his forehead, punched Kenshin lightly in the shoulder. "Hey man. Why did you throw this party anyway?"

Kenshin, who detested social gatherings, shrugged. "It wasn't my idea, Sano. Shishou told me to host it." _Thank kami it's almost over._

Sano, whose full name was Sagara Sanosuke, grinned. "Still taking orders, huh?"

Kenshin growled, causing those around him to laugh. He hated when they laughed at him… which was frequently.

The door to the room slowly opened, grabbing Kenshin's attention. He'd done a head count; everyone from work was already in attendance. _So, who-?_ His thought process halted when the person slipped inside and closed the door. It was a woman, young, with eyes so blue that Kenshin felt he could stare at them all day and not get bored. She had long blue-black hair that was tied up with an iridescent violet-blue ribbon. She wore a sky blue kimono embroidered with dark blue cranes. Her under kimono, what he could see of it, as well as her obi, were the deepest purple Kenshin had ever seen. And the scent that was wafting from her skin…

Kenshin's mouth made an audible snap as he shut it. He was completely stunned by this young beauty. It took a few seconds for thought to return to him, and even longer for his senses. _She's… beautiful. Who is she? Wearing a kimono, she's a traditionalist, like me. Uncertainty, sure, but I sense a hidden inner strength. And…_ He suddenly realized why she smelled so appealing. _Kami, she's human! _If he didn't do something soon, this angel would become someone's meal. He sent everyone a mental command, for once glad that he had a blood bond with all of them. _Hands and fangs off, or it will be your death we witness!_ A few of the vampires, who had been tensed to spring at her, gulped and regained their composure nervously.

Kamiya Kaoru, the girl Kenshin had been so avidly studying, looked around the room uncertainly. _There sure are… a lot of people here._ Her eyes fell upon a man sitting in the middle of the room, and her breath caught. He was the most beautiful creature she's ever seen. His hair was red as fresh blood, long, and tied high on his head. His amber eyes trapped her gaze in their depths, making her feel vulnerable and exposed. She forced herself to continue studying the rest of him. On his left cheek, there was a cross-shaped scar, faded, but still very noticeable. He was wearing a black gi, a silver under gi that shouldn't have looked good with his eyes, but did, and black hakama. _Ma… maybe he is the host?_ She guessed, since he was in the center of everyone. She favored him with a small, shy smile before walking toward him.

She stopped in front of him and extended her hand. "Kaoru. Kamiya Kaoru." She told him, grimacing as her voice came out breathy. She knew better than to trust a man she didn't even know… even a good looking one.

"Himura Kenshin." He grasped her hand, eyes widening as something, like a bolt of electricity, shot up his arm.

Kaoru gasped, yanking her hand back and studying it, but there were no visible signs that anything had happened.

_So, she felt that too?_ Kenshin knew what it was, even though he'd never felt it before. It was an experience that only occurred when a vampire touched his mate. _But, how's that possible?! She's human!_ He kept his voice calm, deciding to ignore it for now and think about it later. "So, Kaoru-san. What brings you here?"

The dark edge in his voice sent shivers down her spine. _Stop that! _She mentally scolded herself. "Well… I just moved recently, and there was a flier in the lobby at my new job about this party. I thought it'd be a great way to get to know the people I work with. Although, I am a bit late."

_What was Shishou thinking, hiring a human to work at a place entirely run by vampires? I'll have to talk to him._ "I see. Are you thirsty, Kaoru-san?"

Kaoru blushed. "Please, just Kaoru. And I am a little."

"Water, soda, alcohol? We might have some juice somewhere."

"Um, club soda, if you have it. I don't like what alcohol does to me."

Kenshin flashed her a grin, trying to keep the worried edge out of it, and stood. "Sit, please. Get to know everyone. I'll bring your drink out to you."

"No, um, I can get it-!" But he was already gone. She sighed and sank into the offered chair. Her gaze turned into a glare as she realized everyone was staring at her. _I should have worn my hakama._ She thought angrily. _At least then I could have brought my bokken._

Sanosuke, who was close enough to catch the stray thought, snorted. _Never would have pegged her for a fighter._ His grin widened as she looked up at him. "Name's Sagara Sanosuke, although most call me Sano. So, where'd you move from?"

"Tokyo."

"Ah. I tried to go there once. Never made it, though."

"That's because you always get lost." Kaoru turned toward the speaker, a young, maybe teenage, girl with a long braid. "Makimatchi Misao. Nice to meet you."

Sanosuke growled at Misao, then began talking again. "Right, Jou-chan. I'll introduce you to everyone. So there's me, Misao, that's Tomoe to your left. Then there's Yahiko, Tsubame, Megumi. Aoshi's around somewhere." He pointed as he said the names. "Over there's Tomoe's brother Enishi, Shishio, and Yumi." He rattled off a bunch of other names, and Kaoru's head spun. How was she supposed to remember them all?

Meanwhile, Kenshin sought out his master, Seijuro Hiko, who was in the kitchen conversing with Omasu, a female vampire who liked Hiko. "Shishou, I need to speak with you."

Hiko smirked. "Ah, baka deshi. What about?"

The red-head growled, directing his thoughts toward his master and boss. _Must you still call me that?_

_Yes._

Kenshin sighed. "Privately please, Shishou."

"Very well. Omasu, if you would excuse us?" Omasu nodded and left. "So, what's bothering you?"

"Kamiya Kaoru."

"The new hire? Good, she made it. I was starting to wonder, with it getting so late. What do you think of her?"

"She's human." Kenshin began.

"Really? I had no idea."

"Shishou, you're the one who does the interviewing. I have a hard time believing you didn't notice."

Hiko grinned, offering Kenshin a glass of blood mixed with sake, and took a large gulp of his own. "I checked with her last employer. She may be human, but she's good at what she does. You just need to limit the vampire jokes, and make sure no one bites her." He turned to leave.

"Um, Shishou? There's one more thing…"

Hiko turned back to Kenshin, raising an eyebrow at the red-head's sudden unease. "What is it?"

"Uh, um, well… Kaoru is… Kaoru is… my mate."

Hiko's glass fell from his hand, sending glass and red liquid all over the floor. "She's _what_?! How do you know?"

Kenshin winced miserably. You told me once there's a reaction when you touch your mate. I felt it, just know, when I shook hands with her. Judging from her reaction, she felt it too."

Hiko continued to stare at Kenshin. Quite suddenly, he gave way to great bellows of laughter. "Oh, what irony! Battousai, once a feared assassin, has a human for a mate!" _Giggle, giggle._

Kenshin growled, his easily spiked temper on the rise. "Shishou, you may be older than me and my master, but I will kill you if you continue. I do not go by that name anymore!"

"Calm down, baka deshi." Hiko replied, managing to get his laughter under control. "So, what are you going to do about her?"

"I don't know. Is it even possible for vampires and humans to mate?"

"You were a human once too, remember? It is possible, but it's very, very rare. We will have to do research on it. A word of warning, Kenshin. Human females are very different than vampire ones. Be careful not to spook her."

_Yay, another Kenshin vampire fic! ^^ I love writing them. Anyway, hope everyone enjoys reading this. Sessha enjoys reviews, so please send some. Arigato! Hope to have the next chapter up within a couple weeks. Ja ne!_

**Glossary: **

_shishou:_ master

_kami: god  
_

_kimono: __what most Japanese women wore. It's usually made of fine silk, with long flowing sleeves_

_obi: the wrap, worn around the waist, that holds a kimono in place  
_

_gi: __a type of Japanese shirt that allows easy movement_

_hakama: __same as above, only they're pants_

_-san: __Mr., Mrs., Ms. It's the polite way to address someone_

_bokken: wooden sword  
_

_jou-chan: __Sanosuke's name for Kaoru. It means 'missy'_

_baka deshi: what Hiko calls Kenshin. It means 'idiot apprentice'  
_

_battousai: __what Kenshin was called during the revolution, so named because of his Battou jutsu_


	2. Chapter 2

_Alas, I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I also do not own the Twilight series, or any other vampire stories that this may make one think of._

**Pursuing his Mate**

_By: Shiara-dono_

_Chapter 2_

Kaoru still sat in the chair, peering curiously toward the kitchen area. _That was a glass breaking. I wonder what happened._

"Your name is Kaoru?"

The statement broke into her thoughts, and she turned frowning. The woman who had addressed her was wearing a rather revealing orange tissue dress. "Tomoe, right?" Kaoru asked, running through the names she had been told earlier. The woman nodded and Kaoru smiled slightly. "Yes, I'm Kaoru."

Tomoe leaned closer to Kaoru, who flinched. "Stay away from Kenshin. He's mine."

"Huh?"

Sanosuke laughed. "Tomoe, Kenshin hasn't been yours for years."

"Besides, I just met him!" Kaoru told her.

"I don't care! Just stay away from my man!"

"Your man, Tomoe? No, I don't think so." Kenshin spoke calmly from just behind her, causing her to jump. "Here's a thought; leave, before I do something drastic."

The woman hissed at him, eyes showing rage and hurt. "You will regret this!"

His voice turned icy. "Tomoe, leave."

Tomoe glared at him defiantly, but left, grabbing her brother and dragging him out behind her.

Everyone gave a collective sigh of relief, and Sanosuke grinned. "Lovely night, eh, Jou-chan? It was nice to meet you, but I have to go. Gotta get the brat home." He pointed to the one called Yahiko, who bristled.

"I'm not a brat, rooster-head!"

"You're my kid brother. I'm allowed to call you a brat."

"Kid?! I'm thirteen. I'm not a kid!"

"To me you are." The two walked out the door, still bickering.

Kenshin kneeled next to Kaoru. "Here's your club soda."

"Thank you." Kaoru took it gratefully.

"I, uh, wanted to apologize for Tomoe. She likes to think that we're still together, but I ended it with her ages ago." He paused. "I think she's jealous."

"Jealous? Why?"

"Well, you are very beautiful." He told her slyly. "She probably thinks I'll jump you first chance I get." He winked at her, inviting her to share the joke. When she didn't respond, he frowned. "Kaoru?"

"Oh! Sorry, that was a joke, wasn't it?" She giggled nervously, sipping her club soda with shaky hands.

Kenshin watched her with worry. _Who gets freaked out by a joke? …if someone hurt my mate! …but I can't do anything about that … yet._

Megumi suddenly appeared, earning a questioning look from Kenshin. "Kaoru, may I talk to you for a moment? Outside, maybe?"

"Um, sure. Excuse me, Kenshin." She followed Megumi out. They stood in silence for a few minutes. Kaoru shivered in the cold wind. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Kaoru, don't take this the wrong way. When were you attacked?"

Kaoru's blood froze. "How did you-? Who… who says I was?"

_You've got 'attack victim' written all over your face._ Megumi shrugged. "I'm a doctor. I notice things. When was it?"

Kaoru looked at her feet. "Three months ago."

"I see. Was he caught?"

"… no."

"You haven't faced it, have you?"

Kaoru shot her a scathing look. "It's not that easy!"

"I know. But if you don't face it, it will never get better. You'll continue to be eaten away by it." She sighed. "Most of the men you saw here tonight are harmless, meaning they won't attack you, so you don't have to worry. Enishi and Shishio I'd watch out for; you never can tell with those two. And ever since I've started dating Sanosuke, his ego has grown. But he won't hurt you."

"You and the rooster?" Kaoru asked in surprise. (Elsewhere, Sanosuke sneezed.)

"Yeah. It's a little crazy, but fun." She paused again. "Kenshin's a good guy, too."

Kaoru glared at her. "I just met the guy! He's very attractive, but I don't know if I could… especially after…"

"Well, don't rule it out." She heard a sound and turned. "Ah, speak of the devil. Remember what I said, Kaoru. Good evening, Kaoru, Ken-san." She disappeared down the walkway.

_Devil? Just what was she telling Kaoru?_ "What was that about?"

Kaoru shrugged. "Just talking. Is the party over?"

"Mm-hm. How did you get here?"

"Oh, I took a taxi. My home's not too far from here, within walking distance, actually. Maybe I'll walk home."

"What if I gave you a ride home?"

"No, that's okay!" Kaoru responded hastily.

Dark shadows crossed Kenshin's eyes. "Kaoru, I won't hurt you. I only offer to keep you safe from those who would."

Kaoru sighed, remembering Megumi's words. _I have to face it, even if I don't want to._ "Thank you, that would be nice."

A grin spread across his face. "Okay, it will be a minute or two. Wait right down there, please." He pointed to where the walkway met the street.

Soon, a black BMW came into view. Kenshin pushed the door open from inside, allowing Kaoru to enter. "Where to?"

She pointed and he started driving.

"I take it you like black." Kaoru commented.

"Eh. Not so much like as dark colors look good on me. You should see what I wear to work."

"Let me guess. A bright pink business suit."

Kenshin's wide eyes were the portrait of innocence. "How'd you know?" At Kaoru's laughter, he smiled. "Well, it was red once but it's faded some. And it's a gi. They're more comfortable than suits, and it's easier to wield a sword while wearing them."

Kaoru's interest was sparked at those words. "You know swordsmanship?"

"Mm-hm. Shishou taught me."

"Who's Shishou?"

"Oh, sorry. Shishou is what I call Hiko."

"You mean President Hiko?"

Kenshin laughed. "Yeah him, although don't let him hear you call him president. I don't think I could stand it if his ego got any bigger. That was his house, by the way."

Kaoru giggled. "And here I thought you were a spoiled rich kid."

"Well, I guess I am. Hiko is my foster father."

A blush tinged Kaoru's cheeks. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to imply-"

"It's okay. Speaking what you think is rare in people. It's an admirable trait." He watched with amusement as Kaoru's blush darkened. _Oh, how I wish…_ "So, you like swords?"

"Turn left here. Yes, although, I wield a bokken."

"Hmm. Maybe you and I could spar one day. I promise to go easy on you."

"Gee, thanks. It's that off-white house."

Kenshin frowned as he pulled into the driveway. "There are no lights on. Are your parents not home?"

Something in Kaoru's eyes made him wish he hadn't asked. "My parents are dead." She told him in a flat voice.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

"How could you know? Besides, I have to face it some time."

They got out of the car, and he walked her to the front door. "How do you get to work?"

"Taxi. Once the weather gets nicer, I may walk."

He sighed. "Do you have a license?"

"Yes?" _Not that it matters; I don't have a car._

"Then here. I'm giving you the key to my car."

"What? I can't accept this!"

"Kaoru, look. I've got other cars. Taxis rip you off, and if you walk, there are those that would love to do unimaginable things to you." He looked at her slyly again. "Personally, I'd love to do something to you. Maybe a date or two?"

"I just met you!"

He laughed. "Can't blame me for trying. Take the car?"

"How will you get home?"

"I feel like walking."

"Oh, and its okay for you?"

"Yeah. I'm a guy."

Kaoru growled at him, then sighed. "Fine, I'll take the car. But I'm only borrowing it!"

"Fair enough." He extended his hand toward her. "See you at work?"

She shook it, biting back a yelp as something electrical again shot up her arm. "Tell me you felt that."

"Felt what?" He turned away fro her and started walking. "Night, Kaoru." He walked until he heard Kaoru go inside. Then he silently crept back to the house. A light flashed on, and he moved toward that window, happy to discover the drapes were open enough for him to see inside. He watched in fascination as Kaoru undressed, unaware that she was being watched. He felt his fangs slide down inside his mouth, and couldn't help uttering a low, almost primal, growl. He swore softly as Kaoru looked toward the window, ducking under it to hide from her searching eyes. With much reluctance, he crawled away.

At a safe distance, Kenshin stood, and walked swiftly into the night. He began searching for someone to bite, hoping that it would cool his suddenly hot blood. He found a girl walking alone not too far from Kaoru's house. He eyed her. She might have been attractive were it not for the fact that she was stone drunk. Kenshin grimaced. Even after being raised by his drunken master, he still didn't have much tolerance for alcohol, two drinks at most. He detested taking blood from drunks; he didn't like what it did to him. But she would have to do for tonight.

He approached her slowly, speaking soft words, amber eyes fixed on hers. The light trance he put her in would spare her from the fear of what was about to happen. "Relax." He told her soothingly. "It will not hurt and you'll have forgotten come morning." Then he sank his fangs into her neck. The alcohol rich blood flowed into his mouth, and he drank until he began to feel inebriated. He sealed the wound and pulled away, watching as the girl walked off in a daze. He turned, stumbling in the direction of his house.

"Boy, you look awful."

Kenshin winced. The voice sounded a hundred times louder than it should have. "Sano. That girl had more alcohol in her than I thought."

The tall- if rooster-headed- vampire walked over, steadying the red-head. "Nice try, Kenshin. You looked bad before you took her blood, and you didn't even sense me watching. What's bothering you?"

Kenshin tripped. Sanosuke caught him before he fell, swinging the protesting vampire's arm over his neck.

"I… I found her." Had he not been so out of it, he probably wouldn't have told him.

"Who?"

"My mate."

Sanosuke almost dropped Kenshin. "You found your mate? That's great! So, why aren't you with her?"

"She's not familiar with our ways. She isn't a vampire."

"Not a-?" Sanosuke paled. "Oh man. You don't mean Kaoru?"

Kenshin nodded miserably, then groaned when that caused the pain in his head to worsen.

"So that's why Hiko dropped his sake? You told him?"

Kenshin nodded again, noting that it didn't hurt as much. The alcohol was starting to leave his system. He pulled his arm from Sanosuke, standing upright, swaying slightly. "Thanks, Sano. Speaking of mates, how are you and Megumi?"

Sanosuke shrugged. "She doesn't yet want to admit that we're mates, but she'll come around." He eyed Kenshin doubtfully, but the red-head looked like he had recovered from the alcohol. "What will you do about Jou-chan?"

"I don't know. Take it slow, I suppose. But I can't give up on her. Not now."

"Well, good luck man. See you at work tomorrow." Sanosuke faded into the shadows, leaving Kenshin to ponder things on his own.

_Okay, so I was bored and decided to put up chapter two. That, and it finishes up what was started in chapter one. I suppose I could have put it all in chapter one, but that would have made for a really looooong chapter. Anyway, don't know how many chapters this story will be. The story itself is about 78 pages, handwritten. So, at least eight chapters, probably more. Sessha thanks you very much for reading Ja ne!_

**Glossary:**

_jou-chan: __Sanosuke's name for Kaoru. It means 'missy'_

_ken-san: Megumi's name for Kenshin. It means 'sir ken'  
_

_gi: __a type of Japanese shirt that allows easy movement_

_shishou: master  
_

_bokken: wooden sword  
_


	3. Chapter 3

_Alas, I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I also do not own the Twilight series, or any other vampire stories that this may make one think of._

**Pursuing his Mate**

_By: Shiara-dono_

_Chapter 3_

Kenshin was sitting in his office the next day when Tomoe came crashing through the door. "Kenshin!" She screeched. "Why is that… that… _human_ driving your car?!"

"Oh good, she took my advice. I gave it to her, Tomoe." _Not that I need to be explaining this to you._

Tomoe's face turned a nasty color. She had heard both his spoken and unspoken words. "You gave-?! But-"

"She didn't have a car, and I have too many. It was my decision and doesn't involve you." He was beginning to get irritated.

She bristled. "Doesn't involve me?! Of course it does. You're mine, and I won't let that… tramp steal you from me!"

Kenshin snapped. He stood up, advancing on her. Red flecks colored his amber eyes. "_Never_ talk like that about Kaoru again. You are the tramp, not her. And also, you're fired."

"What?!?!"

"You. Are. Fired. Now, get out of my office."

Tomoe's mouth opened and closed several times. Fury twisted her features. "You will regret this!"

Kenshin yawned. "Funny. I heard you say the same thing last night." He glared at her. "Get out. Now, if you please."

Speaking of Kaoru, she was just raising her hand to knock on Kenshin's office door when it flew open and Tomoe stormed out. She watched Tomoe walk away for several moments before turning to walk in. She suddenly met something very solid and stumbled back, unbalanced. Strong hands grabbed her shoulders to keep her from falling, and the same electrical jolt from the previous night ran through her.

"Are you okay?" Kenshin asked, his anger and the redness in his eyes vanishing as soon as he touched her.

"Uh, yeah, thank you." Kaoru mumbled.

Kenshin smiled, letting go of her shoulders. He raised a hand up to caress her cheek, but realized what he was doing, and quickly let it drop. He turned back into his office, leaving Kaoru to follow him.

"I… just wanted to thank you. For letting me borrow your car, I mean."

He shrugged. "You're wondering why Tomoe is so upset."

"Is it that obvious?"

He sighed. "I fired her."

Kaoru gasped. "Wow. Can you do that?"

Kenshin smirked at her. "I just did. She wasn't doing her job real well, anyway." He paused. "Tomoe wasn't always like that. She used to be calm, serene… but things changed." He sat down and put his head in his hands. "I am not looking forward to telling Shishou."

The phone rang, causing Kaoru to jump. Kenshin looked at her apologetically. "Sorry Kaoru. I have to take this." He picked up the phone. "Hello."

"Baka deshi!" A voice boomed out so loud that even Kaoru could hear it.

Kenshin groaned. "Right on cue."

_Well, if you wouldn't think so loud, I wouldn't hear you five floors up!_

_Sorry, Shishou._

_Talk on the phone, baka!_

_Oh._ He cleared his throat. "Shishou, I fired Tomoe."

"About time."

That startled Kenshin. "You're not mad?"

"No. She wasn't doing her job. I'm actually surprised you didn't fire her sooner."

"You know Enishi will go with her."

"Yes, the boy does seem to have a severe sister complex. Hmm, two spots to fill. We'll find someone for Enishi's spot later. In the meantime, why don't you offer Tomoe's position to your lovely eavesdropper. Later, baka deshi!" _click_

"Oro? Shishou?" He sighed when there was no answer, replacing the phone on the receiver, and glanced at Kaoru, who had turned a lovely shade of red. "What do you say?"

"Wh… what?"

He chuckled. "It's not really eavesdropping when he's loud enough for the entire building to hear, so don't worry. Tomoe was my secretary. She was also in charge of creative advertising for our company. You were hired to be part of her team, so it would mean this if you accept: you would have to attend meetings and keep record of important activities, as well as come up with ideas of your own. Some of the meetings you would run. Also, you would take phone calls for me when I need it of you, and run errands that I can't do myself. Do you think you are capable of this?"

_So, I would be getting a promotion before I've even been here a week? How often does __that__ happen?_ "…Yes."

"Okay, do you want to?"

In this, Kaoru hesitated. He was asking what she wanted. It was unfamiliar to her and she said so.

Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "I will not force you to accept, Kaoru. It is your decision. Shishou thinks you are good enough to lead, and so do I." _Not to mention, I won't have to make excuses to see you._

Kenshin patiently waited while Kaoru thought it over. Finally, she nodded. "I'll do it."

"Good. I'll give Shishou a call in a bit to let him know you accepted. Your new office is right next door. If you find anything of Tomoe's in there, just put it to one side, and I'll remove it for you. You can move your things in there now, if you wish, or later. However, there is a meeting this afternoon that I would like you to attend. Keep an ear out for suggestions you can possibly make, because I'll ask you once the meeting is over. Okay?"

Kaoru nodded again and turned to leave, but Kenshin called her back. "One more thing, please, Kaoru?"

"Yes?"

"Would you be willing to have dinner with me tonight?"

Kaoru sighed. "Why do you keep asking?"

Humor showed in Kenshin's eyes. "Because I'm hoping if I ask enough you'll say yes."

"But I just met you! And… and you're my boss!"

"So? What better way to get to know each other than on a date? As for my being your boss, we don't really care about the whole dating co-workers thing here. As long as everyone gets along and it doesn't impact work, we're fine with it."

_He has a point. Curse him. _"I… I…" She began.

"I'll keep my hands to myself. Promise."

"See that you do."

Kenshin couldn't believe his ears. "Is that a yes?"

"... Yes."

He grinned widely. "Thank you, Kaoru. See you at the meeting, then."

Kaoru left. Kenshin couldn't believe it; he had a date with Kaoru. _Shishou! She said YES!!_

_Don't yell, baka deshi! Ow! Said yes to what?_

_Yes to the job offer and yes to the date!!_

_Really? How'd you manage that? _

_I had to promise to keep my hands to myself. _

Hiko's mind-voice was skeptical. _Can you do that? _

_For the date, yes. _Kenshin's mind recalled the image of almost touching her. _Well, maybe. After… I'm not sure. She is my mate, after all. I don't know how long I'll be able to tolerate just being near her without touching her, now that I know what she is to me. _

_Hmph. Well, good luck, baka deshi. _

_Thank you, Shishou._

In Kaoru's opinion, the meeting was pointless. Nothing was accomplished, and no one seemed to be listening. She felt sorry for Kenshin. As she got up to tell him what she thought, he came over to her and began talking.

"Is an hour okay?"

The question caught her off-guard. "What for?"

"Me coming over to pick you up for our date. Is that enough time?"

_Oh, right. I agreed to dinner. _Calming sudden panic, she replied. "How about two hours?"

His mind protested, but he flashed her a quick smile. "Two hours it is. See you then!"

_Yay, another chapter down! ^^ Next chappy, Kenshin and Kaoru's first date, awww. Of course, nothing ever goes well for those two. Thanks much for reading. Ja ne!_

**Glossary: **

_shishou: master  
_

_baka deshi: __what Hiko calls Kenshin. It means 'idiot apprentice'_

_baka: idiot  
_


	4. Chapter 4

_Alas, I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I also do not own the Twilight series, or any other vampire stories that this may make one think of._

**Pursuing his Mate**

_By: Shiara-dono_

_Chapter 4_

Exactly two hours later, Kaoru's doorbell rang. When she answered the door, Kenshin's eyes lit up in admiration. Kaoru was wearing a black kimono with pink cherry blossoms stitched into it, a silver under kimono, and a silver obi. It was all he could do not to drool. "Those colors look better on you than they do on me."

Kaoru blushed. "I don't know. The black gi looked really nice with your red hair."

Kenshin smiled. Today he was wearing a dark blue gi and gray hakama. "Shall we?" This time, the car they got into was a slate gray Firebird.

"Where are we going?"

"A little place called the Shirobeko. It's got great beef pot."

The name caught her attention. "Any connection to the Akabeko in Tokyo?"

"Yes, actually. They're sister restaurants."

Kaoru smiled, suddenly looking forward to their date.

At the Shirobeko, Kaoru was introduced to Sae, the owner of the restaurant. They chatted briefly about her sister Tae, who ran the Akabeko. Then she took their order, telling them she'd have it out in a few minutes.

"So." Kenshin began. "What did you think of the meeting?"

"Um, it was nice." Kaoru mumbled feebly. _What else can I tell him? He's my boss, after all. I'd be fired on the spot!_

Kenshin sighed, seeing her thoughts on her face. He probably could have heard them if he wanted, but didn't feel like invading her privacy that much, yet. And listening to the thoughts of nearby humans had never been a strength of his. "Kaoru, I asked your opinion. I want to know what you honestly thought, not what you think I should hear. Never mind the fact that I am your boss. What happened to speaking your mind?"

Kaoru looked down for a moment. When her eyes met his, he could see renewed fire in them. "You call that a meeting? Half the people were asleep and the other half were ignoring you! I'm surprised you couldn't hear Sanosuke, he was snoring so loud!"

"I've learned to tune him out." He muttered dryly, motioning her to continue.

Kaoru took a deep breath. "What you need is a way to motivate them, to get them involved."

_I suppose I can't tell her that we're all vampires, and daylight makes us drowsy._ "Do you have any ideas?"

"A few."

"Good. I want you to run the next meeting."

Kaoru choked on her first bite of the food Sae had set before them. "Run it?! But… but…"

"Don't worry; I'll help you. I did tell you that you would run some of the meetings."

Kaoru grimaced. "Drat, you did. Oh, alright." She dug into the food, sighing happily. _This is so good! It's been a while since I had beef pot._ A few mouthfuls later, she asked a question she'd been wondering about. "You said Hiko is your foster father?"

"I did."

"What… what happened to your parents?"

Kenshin set aside his chopsticks. "They died when I was very young. Shishou happened by and took me in. He has a soft spot, I suppose, although you wouldn't know it from the training he put me through."

Kaoru giggled. "That bad?"

"Oh, the worst! It's a wonder I lived through it. And to top it all off, he remembers every embarrassing thing I've ever done and loves to tell others about them."

Kaoru laughed at that, then took another bite of food, chewing thoughtfully. "What style of swordsmanship do you use?"

"Hiten Mitsurugi. It's an ancient sword fighting technique." He paused, considering what he should ask. "Forgive me if I'm prying, Kaoru, but where did you learn to fight?"

She looked down. "From my… from my father. Kamiya Kasshin is a style he developed. It's used to protect people, and is executed with a bokken, shinai, sometimes a stick or broom. He taught me all he knew, but… but…" A few tears trickled down her face. "In the end, he couldn't even protect himself."

Kenshin reached across the short distance separating them and gently brushed away her tears, surprised when she didn't jerk away. The electrical jolt that was fast becoming a familiarity raced up his arm, and he was uncomfortably aware of his blood heating up. He fought to suppress the desire this one small touch was causing. "I am sorry, Kaoru."

"No, it's okay. I have to face it, or I'll never heal."

To Kenshin, those words sounded bitter. _There's more to the story._ He decided. _She's just not ready to tell it yet._ He sought a change of subjects. "So, what do you think of Kyoto?"

"It's much colder than Tokyo. But I like it."

They talked for a few more minutes about the differences between the two cities, until Kaoru became aware of an uncomfortable pressure around her neck. "Do you feel that?"

Kenshin eyed her questioningly. "Feel… what?"

Kaoru gasped as the pressure tightened. "It feels like… don't laugh, but it feels like someone has their hands around my neck."

He frowned. "Close your eyes."

Her eyes instantly turned wary. "Why?"

He chuckled darkly. "Well, Kaoru. I'm not ready to share all of my secrets with you just yet. Trust me, please?"

She eyed him warily for a moment longer, but as the pressure tightened again, she closed her eyes. He leaned forward and gestured in front of her face. Pale, long fingered hands became visible to his sight. He swore violently and uttered a word Kaoru didn't recognize. The hands vanished. _She's met another vampire, and he has some sort of hold over her. But she doesn't… appear to have been bitten, so how…?_

Kaoru glanced at him as he sat back, wondering what had caused him to swear.

Kenshin smiled warmly at her, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "It's gone now, Kaoru. But please tell me if it happens again."

"O… o… kay."

The evening passed by quietly after that. Kaoru kept glancing worriedly at Kenshin, who appeared lost in thought. He finally spoke again when they reached her house.

"Forgive me, Kaoru. I have been preoccupied. I was wondering. Would you be… adverse to a second date with me?"

Kaoru's first instinct was to decline, but she thought about it. She was curious about Kenshin; there was something about him that seemed untouchable, and she wanted to know what that was. And she felt… sort of attracted to him. "No. A second date would be fine."

Kenshin's eyes lit up for the first time since leaving the restaurant. "Really?! That's great, Kaoru, thank! See you at work." He got in his car, and started down the street. As soon as he saw Kaoru go inside, he pulled over and jumped out, running back to her window. He watched her through the slitted blinds as she changed clothes, fighting to suppress a possessive growl. Once she got into bed and her breathing took on the pattern of sleep, he quietly forced her window open and crawled inside. He sat next to her, watching her sleep, knowing how wild his eyes would look, and how the amber coloring would be dotted with red. He caressed her face, hoping she wouldn't notice the electrical surge in her sleep. When the urge to touch her elsewhere became unbearable, he forced himself to leave. Dawn was approaching fast, and he drove his car home, then raced into the night to take blood from an unsuspecting passerby.

_Yup, dates never go as planned. So, whose fingers were those around Kaoru's neck? Find out in upcoming chapters!_ _Ja ne!_

**Glossary: **

_kimono: __what most Japanese women wore. It's usually made of fine silk, with long flowing sleeves_

_obi: __the wrap, worn around the waist, that holds a kimono in place_

_gi: __a type of Japanese shirt that allows easy movement_

_hakama: __same as above, only they're pants_

_shishou: master  
_

_bokken: wodden sword  
_

_shinai: bamboo sword  
_


	5. Chapter 5

_Alas, I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I also do not own the Twilight series, or any other vampire stories that this may make one think of._

**Pursuing his Mate**

_By: Shiara-dono_

_Chapter 5_

The next day, Kenshin wanted to question Kaoru about the hands he'd seen around her neck, but he didn't know how to bring it up. It's not like he could just come out and ask her if she'd met a vampire before. And then there was the problem with his blood pulsing every time he was around her. It drove him almost to insanity not to touch her.

And, a week later, it began to show in his appearance. Despite only knowing for a short amount of time that she was his mate, he was starting to feel the strain of fighting against the mating pull. His hair, normally sleek and shiny, was starting to look dull and brittle. Dark circles surrounded eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep. His skin was chalky, sickly looking, and his hands trembled. He knew he looked bad, so when Hiko summoned him to his office, he groaned, and morosely dragged himself up to see him.

Hiko's eyebrows rose as he took in Kenshin's appearance. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing, Shishou." Kenshin mumbled.

"Mm-hm. You haven't taken her yet, have you?"

Kenshin grimaced, confirming Hiko's suspicions.

Hiko shook his head. "Baka baka deshi. You're killing yourself by not doing the ritual with your mate."

"But Shishou! She's a human! And you told me to be careful not to spook her."

"I did? I don't remember that. Besides, even if that's true, I wouldn't have meant it to this extreme. How long, do you think, before she starts feeling the strain of it as well? You have to do it, baka deshi. You have every right, and it will be better for the both of you."

"I know that. But… there are… complications."

"Well, deal with them soon. I'm amazed you've survived this long without her."

"It hasn't been easy." Kenshin admitted. "I've had to drink fresh blood every night just to stay sane."

"Hmph! Well, take her soon. And clean up your appearance in the meantime. Good luck, baka deshi." _Interesting. He doesn't want to force her. It's almost as if there's more than just the mating pull going on here. I wonder if he loves her._ Hiko groaned. _Baka. Oops... I forgot to talk to him about why I called him up here to begin with. Ah, well, another day won't matter much.  
_

_There is some truth to Shishou's words._ Kenshin mused as he trudged back downstairs to his office. _She __is__ my mate; I have every right to take her now. But would she forgive me later?_ He looked up, surprised to find himself in front of Kaoru's office door. He moved to open the door, but paused when Kaoru's cell phone rang. He stayed outside the door, listening.

Kaoru frowned as she answered her phone. It was a new cell phone, one she'd gotten after moving to Kyoto. _Who here knows my number? I haven't given it to anyone yet. Not even Kenshin. _"Hello?"

The voice on the other end chuckled. "Well, well. I see you thought you could escape me." The voice was dark, male, with a traceable Kansai accent.

Fear wormed its way through Kaoru, chilling her blood. "Who… who is this? How'd you get this number? What do you want?!"

Another chuckle sounded. "I want you, of course. And I will have you. I am coming for you, so just wait patiently." There was a click as the caller hung up.

Kaoru sat frozen in her chair. She didn't hear the soft knock on her door, nor did she see Kenshin walk in. Only when his shadow crossed her line of vision, did she thaw, jumping back so fast that her chair fell over. "Oh, K… Kenshin! I'm sorry, I didn't hear you knock."

Kenshin glanced pointedly at the cell phone still clasped in her hand. "Who was it?"

Kaoru paled. "W… what? Who was who?"

"The phone call you got just now. It's obviously frightened you, Kaoru. Who was it?"

She looked away. "I… I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not frightened."

_Nice try, except not only can I smell your fear. I can taste it._ "Please, Kaoru. I just want to help you."

_"__Help__?!"_ Kaoru repeated, fear finally breaking away to anger. "You want to _help_?! Don't make me laugh! All you men ever want to do is dominate women, bend us to your will!"

Kenshin's jaw dropped at the force of her anger. In his moment of stunned silence, she continued on, tears now leaking from her eyes.

"See, you don't even deny it! You're all sick bastards, all of you, you included! I don't understand how… how… _don't touch me!!"_

Burned by her words, Kenshin yanked his outstretched hand back. "Kaoru… I…"

"Just leave me alone. I'm going home!" She stormed out of the office, leaving Kenshin gaping after her, stunned from her temper.

After a few minutes, or maybe longer, he managed to make himself move. To his surprise, Hiko lounged against the wall outside Kaoru's office, waiting for him. "Well. That went well."

Kenshin drew in a shaky breath. "Forgive me, Shishou, for interrupting your work. I, uh, need to find Megumi."

Hiko smirked. "I believe you'll find her in Sanosuke's office. Those two sure are spending a lot of time together."

"Thank you, Shishou. _Sano, is Megumi with you?_

_Yes? _

_Good. I'm coming up to speak with her._ It only took Kenshin seconds to reach Sanosuke's office. The door was open; they were waiting for him. "You heard the fight?" Kenshin began.

Megumi snorted. "The whole building did, Ken-san. What did you do to make her so mad?"

"I didn't do anything! She got a phone call, and it shook her up real bad. Since I was there, she took it out on me." He took a deep breath. "Megumi, I need to know. When was she hurt?"

Shock crossed Megumi's face, but she quickly masked it. "Hurt? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Nice try, Fox." Sanosuke commented, earning a glare from the doctor.

"Megumi, I'm not asking if she was. I'm asking when. I do respect doctor-client privilege, but this is something that I need to know."

Megumi sighed. "Three months ago. It was the reason she moved here."

"Did she give you any details?"

Megumi shook her head. "Why?"

"I think, no I'm fairly certain, that the phone call she just received was from the man who hurt her. Thank you, Megumi. You've been very helpful."

Kenshin waited until he was out of voice and mental hearing range before he let his rage consume him. _How dare he! How dare that… that… prick hurt Kaoru! She is __my__ mate! I won't let her be hurt again!_ That night, he didn't go over to Kaoru's. He was still being ruled by his rage, and he wasn't sure what he would do to her in his current mind frame. Instead, he pulled out his katana and worked through the most difficult katas he knew, stopping only when dawn approached.

Kaoru didn't come to work the next day. Kenshin worried, but Hiko assured him that Kaoru was safe, that she just needed a day or two off to calm herself. Hiko also forbid Kenshin from leaving the office early. Kenshin growled angrily, pacing the floor his office was on, watching time crawl by.

But Hiko was right; Kaoru wasn't in any danger. She was doing everything she could to keep her sanity and not give in to fear. Rather than allow her mind to dredge up painful memories, she gave the entire day over to sword practice, going over every move and kata that she knew. She felt a little guilty about not calling in to work, but didn't bother to correct that mistake. Finally, when she could hardly stand up, she drew a bath for herself to relax in, then retired to her bed for the night.

_Yay, enter bad character! But just who is the mystery man? You'll find out, in a few chapters. Next chapter: Kenshin confesses... but what to? ^^ Ja ne!_

**Glossary: **

_shishou: master  
_

_baka: idiot  
_

_baka deshi: __what Hiko calls Kenshin. It means 'idiot apprentice'_

_Ken-san: __Megumi's name for Kenshin. It means 'sir ken'_

_kata: __a form of warm up. Different variations appear in all martial arts forms_


	6. Chapter 6

_Alas, I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I also do not own the Twilight series, or any other vampire stories that this may make one think of._

**Pursuing his Mate**

_By: Shiara-dono_

_Chapter 6_

By the time Kenshin was able to leave work, it was well after dark. He drove to Kaoru's at a semi-reasonable speed, worry turning to unease as he noticed Kaoru's house was dark. He all but shredded the window as he fought to open it silently and slip inside.

The even sound of Kaoru's breathing was music to his ears. He sighed with relief, kneeling next to her bed to watch her sleep.

He was pulled from a nice dream when he heard Kaoru's shuddered gasp. Apprehensively, he looked at her. Sweat and tears fell from her face and she twisted wildly in her bed, muttering something too low for Kenshin to hear.

Kenshin put a hand on her shoulder and shook her. "Kaoru. Kaoru, wake up! You're having a nightmare!"

Kaoru sat up abruptly, huge breaths wracking her small frame. As awareness returned to her, she turned her blue eyes toward Kenshin in confusion. "Kenshin? What are you doing here?"

_Damn. Didn't think about that._ He swallowed hard, tearing his gaze from Kaoru's heaving chest to look into her eyes. He still marveled over how deep they looked, how captivating. "I was worried about you. You got that phone call yesterday, and then didn't show up for work today, so…" He trailed off.

Kaoru's confused gaze turned calculating. "Is this the first time you've broken into my house?" She asked coolly.

Kenshin cringed. _Rule one: It is impossible to lie to your mate… so don't even try._ "No."

"Mm. How many times?"

_gulp_ "Every night since you felt those hands around your neck at our date." _Well, except for last night._

Kaoru didn't know whether she should feel flattered or appalled. "Why?" She choked out.

_Rule two: Half, or partial, truth is not the same as lying._ "I told you I was worried."

"Right. I have a hard time believing you check up on every female worker who doesn't show up for work." She took his expression as her being right. "Then why am I so special?"

He looked away. "You don't want to know."

"Yes, I do."

He stood , keeping his back to her. "Really? Are you _sure_ you really want to know?"

The not so hidden emotion in Kenshin's voice caused her to shiver. "The… the truth, please, Kenshin."

Kenshin sighed heavily. "I couldn't lie even if I wanted to." He turned to face her, amber eyes gleaming. "The truth, Kaoru? The truth is that I am completely and utterly in love with you."

Kaoru's mouth went dry. Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn't that. "You… you are?" She asked, voice cracking.

"I am." He stepped closer to her. "I know it's probably too soon to ask you to love me back. But would you at least let me court you?" _Until I have to force you to become mine?_

Kaoru bit her lip. _I won't deny that I feel… something for him. But I don't know if it's even possible for me to feel love after everything I've been through._

Kenshin's attention was drawn to the lip Kaoru had bit. Unbeknownst to her, she had bitten it hard enough to draw blood. That small droplet was like holding water in front of a man dying of thirst. He couldn't manage to stay still much longer. He took another small step toward her. "Kaoru, can I kiss you?"

Kaoru swallowed hard and shook her head, eyes fearful. She bit her lip again, causing more blood to seep from the wounded flesh.

"I won't hurt you, Kaoru. I promise."

She sighed heavily, very much afraid. But to her surprise, she found herself wanting to allow Kenshin to kiss her. After all, she'd never been kissed, and she wondered what it would be like. Cautiously, she closed the short distance between them.

Kenshin's eyes grew wild as his lips met Kaoru's. He sighed against her mouth, gently caressing. His tongue darted out, running over her bottom lip to catch the blood that rested there.

Kaoru stiffened suddenly, pulling away. "No, no, I can't do this! I'm sorry, I can't!"

Kenshin sighed again, and pulled her into an embrace that she couldn't break out of. He rested his face against her hair as he talked. "Kaoru, calm down. I… I'm not him."

"Huh?"

"The guy who hurt you. I'm not him."

"I know you're not. I just… wait, how'd you know about that?!"

Kenshin chuckled. "I figured it out on my own. There were plenty of clues, once I started looking." He pulled away slightly. "I'm not him, Kaoru. We will take this slow, but I will not let you run away either." _And when I find that bastard…_

Kaoru's throat tightened as Kenshin leaned back in. She fought to get her fear under control as he slowly eased his lips over hers. Gently, he pulled her lower lip into his mouth to suck on it. He made a happy sound in his throat when Kaoru hesitantly slid her hands into his hair. Encouraged, he added a little more force to the kiss.

He finally broke their kiss after several long minutes, nibbling gently at her lower lip. To his immense pleasure, this caused Kaoru to gasp. He laid a trail of featherlight kisses along her jaw and down her neck, nudging the collar of her yukata open. He was too caught up in what he was doing to realize that his fangs had slid down, piercing the soft flesh under his mouth.

Kaoru whimpered. "Please, Kenshin. That… hurts!"

Kenshin gasped, looking at her neck in mortification. _Kami, I… I bit her! I… I… I…_ He leaned in again, licking her neck to seal the bite and stop the bleeding. Something, a fragmented image not from his own memory, surfaced in his mind. He backed away, horrified. "Forgive me, Kaoru! I… I must go now!" He fled the house, leaving Kaoru standing confused and perplexed in her room.

"Shishou!" Kenshin yelled, slamming the front door to the house open.

"Baka deshi?" Hiko rounded the corner at his foster son's call. Had he been holding a glass in his hand, he would have dropped it. "Your eyes, they're…"

"Red, I know." He began pacing. "I bit her, Shishou. I started the ritual without asking her!" He whirled suddenly, his eyes feverish as they focused on Hiko's face. "I need you to tie me up somewhere, Shishou. And call Megumi over to sedate me."

"Sedate? You know drugs won't stay in your system for very long."

"Long enough. Please, Shishou! In a few minutes, I won't be able to resist anymore. I'll go after her, and no one will be able to stop me! And she'll _die!"_

Hiko hesitated for a moment longer, then grabbed Kenshin by the arm and hauled him into one of the house's many rooms. He handcuffed Kenshin to the bed and called Megumi.

When she arrived minutes later, Kenshin didn't recognize either of them. He fought hard against the handcuffs, but they had been specially made to restrain vampires. "What-?" Megumi began.

"Just sedate him, please." Hiko turned away. He hated to see Kenshin in any kind of pain, although he would never admit it.

"But-!"

"It was his request. An extra dose, if you would. It won't last long, but hopefully it will be enough for him to get through this."

Megumi's eyes narrowed. "I know what this is; he's tasted his mate's blood. Wouldn't it be better for both of them if we release him so he could go to her?"

"There are complications, apparently. He doesn't want to force her."

"Forcing a mate? Now there's one I'm not familiar with." Despite talking back, she pulled out a syringe and the medication to tranquilize him, injecting it into his vein. The medicine began to take effect almost immediately, and his thrashing lessened. "The medicine won't last long, three hours at most. You'll be lucky if you get one hour out of it."

"Hopefully that will be long enough. Thank you."

A few hours later, Hiko checked on Kenshin before heading off to work. The red-headed vampire had his eyes closed, but he opened them when Hiko walked in. His eyes were still red, but amber swirls had begun to appear.

"Thank you." The red-head sighed.

"Do you have it under control?"

Kenshin grimaced. "It's tolerable now, but I probably shouldn't go near her today."

"Then you can stay home from work. What about the handcuffs?"

"Keep me in them. I can make it without eating until you get home. Maybe I'm being overly cautious, but better safe than sorry."

Hiko nodded. "See you tonight, baka deshi."

_Well, what can I say? I guess I just like to update this fast. ^^ I may get another chapter up before the weekend, but the anime con starts Friday, so it might be Monday before I post anything new. Next chapter: the second date and our mystery bad guy returns! Ja ne!_

**Glossary: **

_yukata: __summer kimono or nightwear_

_kami: god  
_

_shishou: master  
_

_baka deshi: __what Hiko calls Kenshin. It means 'idiot apprentice'_


	7. Chapter 7

_Alas, I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I also do not own the Twilight series, or any other vampire stories that this may make one think of._

**Pursuing his Mate**

_By: Shiara-dono_

_Chapter 7_

Kaoru sighed, resting her head in her hands. It had taken her a long time after Kenshin had left before she was able to fall asleep again. It wasn't due to anxiety, she knew, but longing, much as she hated to admit it. Her body wanted him, wanted to feel him against her. But she was fearful of him. _No, that's not right. I'm not afraid of him. I should be, but I'm not._ She recalled looking into a mirror this morning. On her neck were two puncture marks, where his fangs had pierced her skin. The bite wasn't deep, and only a little bruised, but it told Kaoru what exactly Kenshin was.

At first, her mind had rebelled, pulling up images of the man in Tokyo, the… vampire, that had hurt her, but she pushed them away again. Kenshin wasn't like him at all. She sighed. _I overreacted. I really should go apologize to him._

Kaoru couldn't understand why she wasn't frightened of him. Instead, she felt an odd pull toward him, a desire to be with him. It was very confusing to her. She walked the few feet to Kenshin's office and hesitantly knocked on the door. When there was no answer, she slid the door open a crack and peered into the darkness. "Kenshin?"

"He's not here."

Kaoru jumped and spun. She paled when she saw who it was. "Pre… Pre… Pre… Hi…" And then her mind processed what he had said. "Not here? Where is he?"

Hiko smirked. "He's just feeling a little ill today, so I told him to stay home."

_Vampires get sick?_ "I was under the impression that Kenshin doesn't get sick."

Her stray thought made its way easily into his mind, startling him, but he hid his surprise well. _When did she find out? Heh heh… we'll see how baka deshi deals with this. _"First time for every thing. Don't worry; he'll be back tomorrow."

Kaoru glared at him. "Who says I'm worried?" She walked back to her office and shut the door behind her, leaving Hiko laughing in the hallway.

By the next day, Kenshin was mostly back to normal. He did his best to stay away from Kaoru in the morning, just in case, which wasn't easy. He finally gave in, and knocked on Kaoru's door just after lunch.

"It's open!" Kaoru called out. She looked up from behind a mound of paperwork as the office door opened. "Oh, Kenshin! Sorry I didn't come looking for you earlier. As you can see, I'm behind on my paperwork. How are you feeling?"

Kenshin smiled at her. "Just fine, thank you. I apologize if you were worried."

Kaoru blushed. "I… I wasn't worried."

"Really? Shishou said you were."

"He talks too much." Kaoru growled.

Kenshin laughed. "Can't argue there. Um… I… I wanted to apologize. For the other night."

Kaoru shook her head. "No, I should be the one apologizing. I freaked out for no reason."

_You had reason. … could it be that she hasn't yet realized what I am?_ "It seems we both feel bad. So, what would you say to trying it over? A movie night at my house, tonight? Shishou will be gone, so you won't have to worry about him making comments."

"That sounds fine."

"Great! Then how about you ride home with me? I can bring you back to your car later."

"Okay."

* * *

"So, what movie are we watching?" Kaoru asked a while later, after Kenshin had driven them to his house.

Kenshin shrugged. "I thought I'd leave that up to you." He led her to a room and opened the door for her. "Pick whatever you like."

Kaoru let out a low whistle. It was like walking into a movie rental store, only better. Floor to ceiling was lined with shelves of movies. "These are all yours?!"

"Mm-hm. Shishou has a hobby of collecting movies, books, music. Personally, some of the older ones are a little dry."

Kaoru was too overwhelmed, so she picked one she was already familiar with. It allowed her time to sit on the couch and rest, without being too involved in the movie. She felt comfortable in Kenshin's presence, calmer, somehow. _I wonder why that is?_

About halfway through the movie, Kenshin paused it and turned to Kaoru. "Do you want anything to eat or drink?"

"Actually, some water would be nice."

"Okay. I'll be right back." He walked toward the direction of the kitchen.

Only a minute or two passed before there was a whisper in her mind. "Kaoru…"

"Kenshin?" It… _sounded_ like him.

"Kaoru… come outside… I want to show you something…"

Kaoru stood hesitantly, walking toward the front door. She opened it, letting her eyes adjust to the dying sunlight, and walked outside. "What is it, Kenshin? Where are you?"

"Over here… come see…"

She walked toward the gardens, where his voice seemed to be coming from, uneasy now. Something wasn't right. "Kenshin?"

"Hello, Kaoru."

Kaoru spun, eyes going wide. The color drained from her face. "No… not you."

The blond vampire smirked, stepping closer. "I told you I would come for you."

"Kenshin? Where's Kenshin?" She winced at the panicky edge her voice held.

"He's still inside. No, don't call him, Kaoru. He won't come. You know I'll kill him if he does."

Kaoru shut her eyes tightly and covered her ears. Tears fell silently down her face. "No… I won't listen. Go away… you can't hurt me… you won't!"

"Oh, but I can hurt you. Pain for you, pleasure for me, right? Come, let me demonstrate."

Kaoru jerked away from his touch, but couldn't fully escape. Long nails cut her arms as fangs tore at her throat. She screamed.

In the house, Kenshin downed a glass of chilled blood to keep him sane before returning to the front room. He was surprised that Kaoru wasn't waiting for him on the couch. He hadn't thought he'd been gone that long. "Kaoru?" _She could be using the restroom, I guess._ Despite that thought, a wave of uneasiness ran through him. He was turning toward the direction of the bathroom, when he heard the last sound he ever wanted to hear, a bone-wrenching scream from the side garden. The glass of water fell from his hand as he raced outside.

_Ahh, don't kill me! I know it's a bad place to stop, but if I hadn't, this chapter would have been forever long! Sessha apologizes! Now, before you all flame me, Kaoru IS NOT dead! Why would I kill on of my favourite characters? I'll try to get the next chapter posted soon, but it depends on my strength, which is sadly really low right now, due to the cursed coughing cold I'm recovering from. Thanks to everyone who continues to read this. Ja ne!_

**Glossary: **

_baka deshi: __what Hiko calls Kenshin. It means 'idiot apprentice'_

_shishou: master  
_


	8. Chapter 8

_Alas, I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I also do not own the Twilight series, or any other vampire stories that this may make one think of._

**Pursuing his Mate**

_By: Shiara-dono_

_*Warning: Kenshin uses a bit of bad language in this chapter. Also some violence and implied rape. No, not by Kenshin!*  
_

_Chapter 8_

Kenshin found Kaoru on the ground in his garden, writhing and kicking at an invisible assailant. It appeared she was being tortured. He took precious moments to try and calm her, but only succeeded in getting kicked in the stomach. Frightened, he used his link with Sanosuke to call for help. _Sano!_

_Kenshin? What's wrong? _

_Is Megumi with you? _

Sanosuke paused. _Yes. _

_Bring her. The mansion, now. Tell her to bring whatever medical supplies she has with her._

_You do realize it's almost midnight? _

_So what?! Please, Sano, hurry!_ Fear began to saturate his mind voice.

_Okay, but it will be five or so minutes._

_No! Kaoru may not have that long! Do what you must to be here __now__! Change into birds! _

_That's a lot of energy. _

_SA-NO-SUKE!!_

_Alright! _

Kenshin breathed a sigh of relief mixed with frustration, and carefully picked up the still thrashing Kaoru. He took her inside and set her gently on the floor, since she would have rolled right off the couch in her struggles. Sanosuke and Megumi arrived seconds later. He didn't comment on Megumi's slightly ruffled appearance, just hovered worriedly behind her while she looked Kaoru over. "What the hell did he do to her?!?" He growled angrily.

"Ken-san, calm down. Yelling will only make it worse." She rocked back on her heels. "As far as I can tell, there are no physical injuries. He must be attacking her inside her mind."

Kenshin released a long stream on swear words that impressed even Sanosuke. "Well, how do we break his hold?!"

"I don't know."

"Kuso! I can't just stand here while she suffers! I'll enter her mind."

"You can't, Ken-san. It wouldn't be safe, not even if she was your-"

"My mate. I know."

Megumi drew in a sharp breath as all the pieces of the puzzle suddenly fell into place. "She probably won't recognize you. She will fight."

"I'll take my chances." He reached for Kaoru.

"Ken-san, wait! If you die, she will too."

"Yes, but life will mean nothing to me if she dies now!" He placed his hands on either side of Kaoru's face and pressed his forehead to hers. _Kaoru…_

* * *

Her mind was a maze that constantly twisted in upon itself. He had barely begun to explore when he was throw back. He tried to stand, but something knocked him down again. _Dammit, Kaoru! I'm just trying to help you. Stop fighting me and show me where it hurts!_

He fell abruptly. When he slowed, there was a large spot of oily blackness in front of him. He pulled out his sword, surprised that it had come with him, and hacked through the blackness, repeatedly. There was a shriek, and the blackness suddenly vanished.

Kenshin felt the semblance of a floor disappear again. He fell, landing in an open area, a grassy haven.

_Who are you?_ A cold voice asked from behind him. _Why are you here?_

Kenshin turned. Kaoru stood glaring at him, dressed in an ivory gi and navy hakama. A naked sword gleamed in her hand. _The sword's a good touch, but don't you wield a bokken?_

_You talk as if you know me, and yet you come armed with a sword of your own._

He raised an eyebrow. _You've forgotten, Kaoru?_

She growled and attacked with a swiftness he hadn't expected. Her sword left a thin trail of red across his chest. _I haven't forgotten anything! You are just pretending._

_Really? Did I pretend the date, then? The learning about Kamiya Kasshin and your father who taught it to you? _

Kaoru grit her teeth. _Shut up! _

_Did I pretend, then, that we were at my house, watching a movie? That you were enjoying it? _

_Stop it… stop talking!_

Kenshin persisted. He could tell that he was getting through to her. _Tell me, Kaoru. The other night, did I pretend to kiss you? _

_STOP!! _She lunged forward, scoring a hit on his arm. It brought her forcibly back to reality and she gasped, dropping the sword. _Ke… Ken… shin??_

_It's okay, Kaoru. He's gone now. _

_The… the pain. It hurt so bad. …uh, where are we?_

He chuckled, holding out a hand for her. _Inside your mind. Come. I'll take you back._

_

* * *

_

Kenshin opened his eyes and groaned as he tried to stand. _Why am I so stiff?_

Sanosuke gripped his uninjured arm, hauling the exhausted vampire to his feet. "You back?"

"More or less. How long did I take?"

Megumi came over and dabbed at the cuts on his arm and chest. "Just under three hours."

"No wonder I'm stiff. Leave them, Megumi, they'll heal soon. I guess I can consider myself lucky that she was unfamiliar with the weight of a real sword. She could have done much worse damage than this." He paused. "Megumi, can you move her up on the couch? Kaoru'll wake soon, and I feel I need a drink before then."

"Okay."

Kaoru opened her eyes slowly. She was lying on the couch where she and Kenshin had sat watching a movie. Sanosuke and Megumi were sitting in nearby chairs, watching her. "Wh… where's-" Her throat was dry. She coughed and tried again. "Where's Kenshin?"

"I'm here, Kaoru." He came around the edge of the couch, offering her the glass of water that he held, which she took shakily. His small glare caused the two other vampires to quickly exit the room. He sat on the floor next to the couch and reached out a hand to stroke her hair. "Will you tell me now, Kaoru?"

Kaoru sighed, looking at her hands. "It's not a pretty story."

"I know."

"It… it was about three and a half months ago, while I was still in Tokyo. My… father was still alive at the time. It was just the two of us; my mother passed away years ago. Anyway, we were coming home from visiting some friends, so it was pretty late in the evening. This… man jumped out of an ally and grabbed me. I'd never seen my father so scared." She took a breath to continue, but noticed Kenshin's clenched hands. "Are you okay?"

_Damn bastard, how dare he touch her!_ "I'm fine." He told her in a strangled voice. "Continue, if you can."

Kaoru looked at him oddly, but started talking again. "My father had his bokken with him; he carried it everywhere. He attacked the man who held me and managed to break his hold." Her mind brought the painful images to the surface, and she relived each moment.

*_flashback*_

"Kaoru, run!"

"No, Father! I'll stay and help!"

Her father gave her a pleading look. "Please. Please_ run!" _

She'd never heard her father beg before. It terrified her, and she fled in fear.

"Run!!" It was the last thing she heard her father say, followed by a sickening thud.

She only managed a couple of feet before she was slammed into a wall, cracking her head against it. Kaoru fought nausea as she faced her leering assailant. "Where… where's my father?"

The blond man grinned, revealing overly long canine teeth. Kaoru shrank back away from him, trying to melt into the wall. His dark, Kansai- accented voice flowed over her like oil. "Well, now. Why don't you look for yourself?" He gestured behind him.

The blood drained from Kaoru's face as she peeked around him. "Father! NOOOOO!!"

The man's harsh laughter barely penetrated her cries as he reached for her.

_*end flashback*_

Kaoru didn't realize how badly she was shaking until Kenshin gently pulled her into his arms. Then the dam broke. She clenched her fists into his gi, sobs tearing from her throat, crying as hard or harder than she did the night her father died.

Kenshin tightened his hold on her, murmuring softly to calm her. He didn't need her to finish her story; this close to her, he saw the memories in her mind. He barely contained the rage that was boiling inside him. _I'll hunt the bastard down! I swear it! He'll pay in blood!!_ "He won't touch you again, Kaoru. I won't let him."

Kaoru's teeth chattered together from stress. "Th… thanks, Kenshin." She yawned.

Kenshin noticed. Very gently, he picked her up bridal style.

"K… Kenshin?"

"I'm just taking you to my room, Kaoru. You're tired and need to rest. Also, I expect you to take tomorrow off work."

Kaoru's eyes widened. "But… but…" _I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE!!_

Kenshin cringed at the force of Kaoru's mental voice. He hadn't known that delving into her mind would make him hear her thoughts so well. Usually, it took blood to do that. _…but I have had her blood. …oops…_ He sighed. "I can stay if you want me to." _At least until you fall asleep._

Kaoru nodded. "Please?"

Kenshin paused, kicking open the door to his room. He walked inside and carefully placed her on the bed. He went to step back, but Kaoru grabbed his sleeve. "K… Kaoru… I-"

Kaoru looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "Just for now?"

Kenshin gulped, heat rising in his face. _Rule three: Trying to refuse a request from one's mate can be fatal._ He climbed on the bed with her, body rigid.

After a time, possibly because Kenshin was willing it, Kaoru fell asleep. Kenshin's skin vibrated with the effort to remain still. He was positive his eyes held a red cast as he looked her over.

Slowly, he moved, leaning over her. He tilted her face away from him, making access to her neck easier. He bent down, gently licking her neck. He sighed as his sharp fangs punctured her delicate skin. With practiced ease, he sucked her blood into his mouth and swallowed.

It was like no blood he had ever tasted before. A sweetness that there were no words to describe. He swallowed again, a shiver of pleasure running through him. He knew he was treading on dangerous ground. The desire to complete the ritual was consuming him, and he didn't know how he managed to push himself away from Kaoru's neck. He darted back in to seal the wound, then backed off a couple inches.

As he continued to watch her with fire bright eyes, he found he lacked the strength to leave the room, or even take a step away from her. He growled, half in frustration, half from need. With every bit of concentration he possessed, he forced himself to take to shape of a flea, a bloodsucker, yet too small to cause much damage. He hopped around until he located Kaoru's body, and, weak with exhaustion and hunger, gave himself over to the flea's mind.

_Yay, another chapter down! And it was longer, too, because there was no good spot to cut that off. Next chapter brings some of Kenshin's past to light for Kaoru. Warning: It starts getting a bit darker after this. Thanks to all my readers! Ja ne!_

**Glossary: **

_ken-san: __Megumi's name for Kenshin. It means 'sir ken'_

_kuso: all around general swear word. If you want all the words it means, look it up^^  
_

_gi: __a type of Japanese shirt that allows easy movement_

_hakama: __same as above, only they're pants_

_bokken: wooden sword  
_


	9. Chapter 9

_Alas, I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I also do not own the Twilight series, or any other vampire stories that this may make one think of._

**Pursuing his Mate**

_By: Shiara-dono_

_Chapter 9_

When Kaoru awoke in the morning, she was surprised to find herself alone. "Kenshin?" She called timidly, voice wavering. No one answered her. Gathering her courage, she slid from the bed and began to walk through the house. She discovered several locked doors, which she didn't try to open. A few doors led to empty rooms. One of the bathrooms, its walls painted with big, bright yellow daisies, made her snicker. It was obvious that bathroom was never used.

She found the kitchen downstairs. After orienting herself with it, she pulled out the things she would need to cook herself miso and curry rice. While it was cooking, Kaoru pulled a bottle from the fridge that she was curious about. The liquid in it was bright red. Kaoru sniffed it warily, but it had no odor to her. She dipped a finger in it, then brought her finger to her mouth.

She stiffened instantly, coughing. It was blood. _I should have known._ Grimly, she replaced the bottle in the fridge, and returned to her food, which was now beginning to burn. She grimaced as she ate her food. Even to her, it tasted off. With a sigh, she forced it down.

She jumped when the phone rang. Caller I.D. said it was work. Figuring it was Hiko, she answered it.

"Is baka deshi there?" Hiko's booming voice asked.

"Kenshin? Isn't he at work with you?" Not knowing where he was worried her a little.

Hiko snickered. "Worried, are you?"

Kaoru growled softly. Was she so easy to read? "I'm _not_ worried." She muttered into the phone.

Hiko laughed. "Whatever you say. But the waver in your voice tells me different."

She growled again at him and changed topics. "Did you want me to come in to work today?"

There was real surprise in his voice. "After just being attacked? Sanosuke told me." He responded to the unspoken question. "What did Kenshin tell you?"

"That he expected me to take today off." Kaoru replied with a sigh. "But I… I don't …" She took a deep breath. "I don't want to be alone today."

"I'll call him." Hiko assured her. "He's probably just exercising or something. Give me a moment." The phone went silent as he put her on hold. She wandered again through the house as she waited.

* * *

_Baka deshi._ A voice called softly, barely touching Kenshin's consciousness as he floated in a warm sea of red.

_Baka Deshi._ The voice repeated, a little more sharply. Kenshin ignored it.

_BAKA DESHI!!_

_AHH!! What, what?!_

_Oh, so you __are__ awake._ The voice again, irritating now.

_Shishou? _

_Who else? Where are you? _

_Um… I'm not sure. _

Hiko raised an eyebrow at that response. _What shape are you in?_

Kenshin thought about it. _Flea?_

_Flea?!_ Hiko repeated, dumfounded. _Why?!_

_Um…_ Kenshin blushed crimson, or would have, if fleas could blush. Embarrassment colored his mind-voice. _I… I bit her again, and couldn't force myself to leave, so…_ He gulped, realizing where he must be.

_So, you're a flea, somewhere on her body?!_

_… yeah, pretty much. _

"Baka." Hiko muttered out loud. _You have to change back. The girl is worried about you, and still afraid of being alone. _

_Kaoru is? _

* * *

Speaking of, Kaoru was beginning to wonder what was taking so long. It had already been at least five minutes. Shouldn't Hiko have reached him by now? _I wonder. I heard a couple of his thoughts last night. Is it possible he can hear mine?_ She decided to try. She closed her eyes, focusing hard. _Kenshin?_

* * *

_YAHHHH!!_ Kenshin screamed in surprise. He lost his hold on wherever he was, falling away from the warmth to a cold surface that he guessed was the ground.

_What is it?_ Hiko's mind-voice asked.

_Kaoru just thought-called me. Did she know she could do that?_

_Dunno._ Hiko smirked. It sounded like Kaoru was learning more than Kenshin had intended. _You better answer._

_I will. I'm gonna change back. Thanks, Shishou. _

Hiko smirked. _You owe me, baka deshi._

* * *

Kaoru's heartbeat slowly returned to normal. She hadn't really expected him to hear her, so when he'd yelled, it scared her. He'd sounded a lot closer than she'd thought he'd be. The phone beeped as Hiko returned to her line. "He's there; he just lost track of time. Says he'll meet you in his room in a couple minutes."

"Thanks." Kaoru told him with relief. She hung up the phone and made her way back to Kenshin's room. A door in his room that she hadn't noticed before caught her attention. It wasn't open by much, just an inch or two. Curious, she nudged the door open and slid inside.

The room was dark, but a desk sat in the far corner with a small light on. She walked over, picking up the book that sat on top of the desk. It was a diary. She raised an eyebrow, surprised. She opened it a few pages in. The date was faded, or smudged out; Kaoru couldn't tell which. Elegant handwriting flowed across the page.

_(I think I'm turning. It scares me. I don't want to change. Tomoe says it's normal, that all of us go through it, but I'm not so sure. I'm afraid to tell Shishou. Will he kill me if I do change?)_

Kaoru turned the page, finding a new entry.

_(A young girl was killed last night. I think I may have done it; I have no memory of last night. It's a blank. There's a sharp pain behind my fangs. Shishou once told me the difference between our kind, and the other vampires. Am I becoming venomous?)_

The next entry was quite different. Drops of old blood dotted the page, but not enough to obscure the words on it. The handwriting was different; big, bold, and very messy.

(**MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! I'M FREE!!!)**

Perplexed and uneasy, Kaoru turned the page, only to find the jagged remains of the following pages. She set the book back on the desk, and turned toward the door. Something in the opposite corner caught the small amount of light, refracting it. She walked toward it, but couldn't make out what it was. She felt a string brush across her face and pulled on it.

Light flared, blinding her. She blinked and opened her eyes cautiously. Shattered mirrors lined the wall in front of her, rivers of dried blood coating the shards. She screamed and stumbled backward. Her back bumped against something and her hands automatically reached back to grasp it. Whatever it was burned her, eating her flesh like acid. She shrieked in pain and released the thing, turning.

A sword stood before her, wrapped in chains. The sheath was black as pitch, and highly polished. The hilt smoked slightly where she had touched it.

"It's not safe in here, Kaoru." A low, quiet voice spoke from the doorway. _You are mortal. This room will kill you if you linger._

Kaoru whirled to face Kenshin, about to respond to his thoughts, but his expression froze the words in her throat. He was wearing all black. Even his under gi was black. His hair was once again sleek and tied high upon his head. His red-ringed amber eyes surveyed her coolly.

"This door is locked for good reason."

"It… it was open-" Kaoru began.

"Then I apologize. It will be locked from now on." _I have not been in here recently. How did the door get opened?_

Kaoru heard the tightly controlled anger in his voice and shivered. She cried out as he grabbed her hand and pulled her from the room.

He gentled his hold and turned her hand over, swearing. Her palm was raw and blistered. He eyed the sword with disdain. "That sword is never meant to be handled." _By anyone but me, anyway._ "It's cursed… and evil."

"No." Kaoru also looked at the dark weapon. "I don't think it's evil. Just full of sorrow." She hissed as pain shot through her hands.

"Either way." Kenshin muttered. He made a gesture and the door closed, locking automatically. "Come on." He told her, voice still full of anger. "If I don't treat those burns, your hands will never heal."

He made Kaoru sit on the bed. He sat in front of her, gently probing her palms, which were now starting to swell. She flinched as his fingers found the most tender spots.

"Close your eyes."

She raised an eyebrow, but sighed and did as her asked.

Kenshin watched her for a moment, then brought his hand to his mouth, deeply puncturing his thumb with a fang. He let his blood drip onto her palms where she was hurt the worst, then gently brushed his thumb across the rest of her palms. He sealed the wound on his thumb, then grabbed the bandages and carefully wrapped them around Kaoru's hands. "I'll need to change these for you every couple of days until the burns are gone."

Kaoru opened her eyes and looked at her bandaged hands. "Why you?"

"The medicine is one only I can give."

"Th… thank you."

"You're lucky. A few seconds more of touching that sword and there would have been no cure."

Kaoru shivered. "What _was_ that room?"

"Something I'd rather not remember. Just forget about it."

"But-"

Kenshin gave her a pained look and closed his eyes. "Please, Kaoru. Not yet. It's too soon for you to know. I'm afraid you'll run away, screaming." _Which would either consume me with grief or turn me back into that monster. I would kill myself before that happened._

The color drained from Kaoru's face. She had heard his thought. "If I was going to run away, I would have done it by now." She told him shakily.

Kenshin laughed bitterly. "I'm not so sure." He winced as a sudden pain flared just behind his right canine. _No. Please, kami, NO!_

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He told her gruffly. "I just had a small pain in my mouth, is all."

Kaoru glared at him. "You're not fine. Lie down."

"Why?" He asked warily.

"Because something is hurting you and I want to look!" She told him hotly. "Now, are you going to lie down, or do I have to force you?"

Kenshin glared at her and growled, ignoring the hurt that showed in her eyes. _It's better this way. If she gets any closer when I'm still fighting against completing the ritual…_

How he wound up on his back, he wasn't sure. But the throbbing in his temple led him to believe she had hit him with something. He stared at her, awestruck.

"I studied dentistry for a while, so I'm familiar with the workings of the mouth." She calmly explained as she straddled him and pressed on the hinges of his jaw to force his mouth open. "Even if I don't have the proper tools, I can still figure out what's hurting you."

Kenshin gulped loudly as she gently began to run her finger, the only uninjured part of her hand, along his teeth. His eyes strayed to her neck, and he could feel his blood begin to heat up. _No! If she feels my fangs-!_

"Ow!" Kaoru jerked back, clutching her hand. Blood pooled from a small cut, running down her finger.

Kenshin closed his mouth with an audible snap. He started to push her off him.

"No, wait!" Kaoru moved hastily to keep him still, not realizing how much he was fighting himself. "There's something there… just behind your canine. Let me get it out!"

Kenshin shook his head, afraid to open his mouth. His nostrils flared from the scent of her blood.

"Please." Kaoru asked quietly, leaning down until she was only a couple of inched away. "Please?" She said again.

He closed his eyes, drawing in a shaky breath. _She can't tell, can she? How close I am to losing control? _He felt her press on his jaw again, felt her fingers slide past his teeth. He felt her blood as it dripped from her finger and slid down his throat.

Kaoru had forgotten about the cut already, or she wouldn't have stuck her bloody finger inside a vampire's mouth, even if it was Kenshin. She found a sharp object behind his tooth and pulled, extracting a thin, rather long, piece of glass. She pressed her fingers against the hole made from removing the glass to stop the flow of blood.

"Glass?" She asked in disbelief, holding the offending item with her other hand.

_Figures._ Kenshin thought darkly. His mind focused solely on the blood that was in his mouth. He swallowed convulsively, and experienced a thrill of pleasure. _I… I need to… I need to get away from her. I can't control myself… anymore!_ He gently but forcefully removed her hand from his mouth and lifted her off him. "I told you that room was cursed." He spoke quietly, voice silky. He saw Kaoru shiver. "If you would excuse me for a minute?" He left the room before she could respond.

He practically flew to the kitchen, where he flung the refrigerator door off its hinges and grabbed the bottle of blood, downing all its contents. It helped, a little. _At least it will keep me sane around her for now. But that was my last bottle, so I'm going to have to get some more. …and Shishou's going to need a new fridge. _He slowly walked back up the stairs, taking deep calming breaths.

When he returned, Kaoru was turning the piece of glass over in her hand, examining it. She jumped as he entered. "I meant to ask; where were you earlier, when I woke up?"

"Oh, I… I fell asleep and lost track of time." He said evasively. Which was mostly true.

"I see. How's your mouth?"

"The pain is tolerable." He replied. He grinned suddenly. "Come on. There's something I want to show you."

_And just when I have the blinking chapter posted, I accidentally X out of the page. ...figures. Thanks to all of you for being patient with me on posting. I have a lot going on right now, one of which being infrequent access to the computer, so I'll post as I can. I'll try next week to post chapter ten. Thanks again. Ja ne!_

**Glossary: **

_baka deshi: what Hiko calls Kenshin. It means 'idiot apprentice'_

_shishou: master_

_baka: idiot_

_gi: __a type of Japanese shirt that allows easy movement_

_kami: god_


	10. Chapter 10

_Alas, I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I also do not own the Twilight series, or any other vampire stories that this may make one think of._

**Pursuing his Mate**

_By: Shiara-dono_

_Chapter 10_

Kenshin led the way up another set of stairs, ones that Kaoru hadn't noticed before. He pushed open a door at the top of the stairs and motioned her inside.

Kaoru's jaw dropped. It was a dojo, spreading across the entire top floor of the house. The floor was made of dark wood that shone from recent cleaning. The walls were decorated with all kinds of weapons imaginable. She turned to Kenshin, speechless.

"Do… do you like it?"

Kaoru nodded. "I love it!" She gazed wistfully at the rack of shinai and bokken on the far wall. Then she frowned. "You use wooden weapons?"

Kenshin ducked his head, favoring her with a sheepish grin. "No. I added them… after I learned that you use them. I… was… hoping, that you'd come over more often, if they were here."

She sighed, and glared at her hands. "Well, I _would_, if I could hold a shinai."

"I'll give you a key." He promised. "You can come over anytime."

"Th… thank you." Kaoru blushed. Steeling her emotions, she hesitantly stepped toward him.

Kenshin's mind went blank and his eyes widened as Kaoru closed the distance between them and placed her hand on his forehead, pushing his bangs up gently.

"Did you know your eyes have changed color?" Kaoru asked quietly.

"My… my eyes?"

"Mm-hm. They've gone red, around the edges."

_Damn. I should have known. It's from her blood, but how can I tell her that? _"Does that scare you?" He asked in a low, throaty voice.

_My blood? Why would it be the cause of his eyes changing color?_ "No, it doesn't."

"Good." He pressed his lips against hers in a gentle, yet searing, kiss.

Kaoru drew in a sharp breath, and Kenshin gasped, forcing himself to take a step back. "F… forgive me, Kaoru! I shouldn't have!"

"It's okay-" Kaoru began breathlessly.

"No, it's not! You had your mind violated just last night! I shouldn't… I can't…"

Kaoru sighed again, and looked around the room. "Which weapon do you use?" She asked, trying to distract him.

"What? Oh, um, it's not in here. I'll go get it." He disappeared through a side door, returning seconds later. "This is what I use."

Kaoru removed the sword from its sheath, examining it. It was long and thin, but heavy to her, with the blade on the reversed side. "A … sakabattou?"

"You recognize it." Kenshin's eyes gleamed with appreciation. He took the sword back, giving it a few experimental slashed. "I still want to spar with you, you know."

She glared down at her hands again. "When I have healed-?"

He smiled. "Not a minute after."

* * *

It took Kaoru's hands three weeks to heal. True to his word, Kenshin sparred with her the following day. She lost, barely, but had a suspicion that he had more strength than he let on.

She was also becoming increasingly aware of his thoughts, hearing them almost as much as his spoken words. As a result, she heard conversations not meant for her to hear.

She was standing outside Kenshin's office door. She had watched Hiko enter the office, and curiosity got the better of her, so she had crept to the door to listen.

"Baka deshi." She heard Hiko say in a quiet, exasperated voice. "You're starting to show the strain again. Why haven't you done the ritual with her yet?"

Kaoru could hear Kenshin's wince as he responded. "Privately please, Shishou? I don't want to be the center of more jokes than I already am."

Hiko laughed, but the sudden silence of his words meant he had complied. It also meant she could only hear Kenshin's side of the conversation.

_I won't force her, Shishou. You know that._ There was a pause, then Kenshin sighed. _Yes, I know I'll need to eventually. But I'll hold off as long as I can._ Another pause. _Yes, it's killing me. But… I love her. And she's mortal. I could kill her so easily if I'm not careful. _Kenshin paused, listening to Hiko's response. He growled suddenly, scaring Kaoru. _Dammit, Shishou. I WILL NOT FORCE HER! _A chair crashed against the wall. I'm going for a walk." Kenshin muttered out loud.

Kaoru froze. She wasn't going to be able to leave undetected, so she did the only thing she could think of and raised her hand like she was going to knock on the door.

Kenshin threw the door open, missing Kaoru by an inch. His eyes widened. "Kaoru! I'm sorry! Did you… did you need something?"

Kaoru eyed him. _Hiko's right. You do look bad._

Kenshin winced. He'd heard her thought. Had he been thinking straight, it would have told him exactly how long she'd been outside his door. _Good thing the rest of that conversation was thought- spoke._

"I was just wondering if you would mind me coming over after work to practice. And maybe we could spar again?"

"That's fine. If you'll excuse me for a moment; I need to clear my head." He walked away quickly.

Kaoru sighed, turning to face Hiko, who was sitting in the unbroken office chair. "That wasn't smart. Now you have a wall and a chair to repair."

Hiko laughed. "Why don't you tell him you know already? It'd make things easier."

"Because he'll tell me when he's ready. Right now, the surprise might kill him."

Hiko laughed again. "We aren't easy to kill, human."

"I know." Kaoru responded drily. She looked at the damage. "I had a feeling he was going easy on me in our sparring match. Can't you be nice to him."

He stared at her in surprise. "That would make him wonder."

"I guess that's true."

* * *

"I'm ordering you to take today off." Kenshin said calmly early one morning.

Kaoru stared at him. "Take it off?"

Kenshin nodded. "I've never had someone so dedicated working for me. You even come in on your scheduled days off. So, this is an order as your boss; go home. Get some rest, do housework, whatever you want."

"Are you… you aren't displeased with me, are you?" She couldn't believe how much it hurt to choke out those words.

"Hardly." Kenshin smiled, lightly running the back of his hand down Kaoru's cheek. His smile widened as he felt the electrical surge pulse through him. "I'm just afraid you're going to wear yourself out."

"But… but I-"

Kenshin sighed, reading in thoughts what she couldn't put into words. Fighting to keep control of himself, he leaned closer, brushing his lips softly against hers. He spoke whispered words across her mouth. "Kaoru. I'll be here. If you need me, call, and I'll come."

"… okay…" Kaoru mumbled. She took a half- step forward, pressing her lips more firmly against his.

Kenshin pushed her away, laughing shakily. "You overestimate my self- control, Kaoru."

She started to protest, but he silenced her with another soft kiss. "Go home now." He told her huskily. "I'll see you tonight."

_I apologize to everyone for this chapter being updated so late. A lot has happened since the last chapter. Currently, we're being forced out of our house, so we have to find someplace new to live. So, yeah, I'll update when I can, between packing. Anyway, next chapter starts the violence, meaning the bad vamp shows up. Any guesses yet on who he is? See you all in the next chapter. Ja ne!_

**Glossary:**

_shinai: bamboo sword_

_bokken: wooden sword_

_sakabattou: reverse blade sword_

_baka deshi: what Hiko calls Kenshin. It means 'idiot apprentice'_

_shishou: master_


	11. Chapter 11

_Alas, I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I also do not own the Twilight series, or any other vampire stories that this may make one think of._

**Pursuing his Mate**

_By: Shiara-dono_

_*Warning: This chapter holds violence, rape, and swearing. K, you've been warned. *_

_Chapter 11_

Kaoru sighed, unlocking the door to her house. She stepped inside and sank gratefully into the chair in the front room. She tried for a few minutes to assemble her thoughts that had been scattered by Kenshin's kisses, but didn't have much success.

"Long morning?" A voice asked from the doorway.

Kaoru yelped and jumped up into a fighting stance, facing the intruder.

The woman stepped forward, palms outstretched in front of her. "Relax, it's just me. I knocked, but you didn't answer, and the door _was_ unlocked."

Kaoru straightened, but didn't relax. "T… Tomoe?" She asked in surprise. _What is __she__ doing here?_ "What are you doing here?"

Tomoe grinned, displaying short, thick fangs. Kaoru shrank back in fear. "I guess you could say I'm here for revenge." The female vampire told her calmly. "After all, I did tell him he'd regret throwing me out." She stepped closer as another vampire appeared behind her. Kaoru recognized him as the one Sanosuke had pointed out as Tomoe's brother.

Kaoru knew she wouldn't be able to reach a phone in time. Hoping the distance wouldn't be a problem, she closed her eyes and put all her strength into one thought-word. As the fist slammed into her stomach, she gave a pained gasp, falling unconscious when she hit the wall behind her.

* * *

It took Kenshin a moment to realize that the fear he was feeling was not his own. _What-? _ He began to ask himself.

_KENSHIN!!_

The color drained from his face. _Kaoru? Kaoru!_ "Dammit!" He swore, snapping the pen he was holding in two. _Shishou, I'm leaving! _

_ Why? _

_ It's Kaoru! She's in trouble. I felt fear from her, but now… Now there's nothing! _

_ Then go. Take help with you. _

_ I don't need-! _Kenshin began, then sighed. _Thank you._ He broadened his thoughts. _Sano, Aoshi, I need you to meet me at Kaoru's house. Now._ He didn't wait for an answer, but raced out of the building, not bothering with his car, running at top speed to Kaoru's house.

* * *

The door was standing open when he arrived. His lip curled at the scent coming from the house. "Tomoe." He snarled. _And Enishi. Figures._ He looked around, noticing blood on the floor. It wasn't enough for her to be dead, but he could tell right away it was Kaoru's. With the exception of plaster falling from a big dent in the wall, there was nothing else out of place. _She didn't even have time to fight back._ He thought grimly.

"Kenshin?"

He turned, eyes narrowing as they fell on Megumi. "Why'd you bring her?"

Sanosuke bristled at his tone, but it was Megumi who spoke up. "You're going to need me."

"Why?"

"To heal her wounds."

Kenshin closed his eyes, feeling sick. "Fine, but don't get in my way. I am going to kill someone, probably more than one. Don't try to heal _them_!"

Megumi nodded.

"How much time has passed?" Sanosuke asked.

Kenshin looked at his watch. How had so much time passed so fast? "Thirty minutes. As far as I can tell, she isn't conscious yet." _Better just be unconscious. If she's…_

_

* * *

_

Kaoru awoke with a groan, curling around her stomach in pain. She was sure two or three of her ribs were broken. She tried to get up, but her arms had been tied above her head. She opened her eyes, frightened and dismayed, more so by the fact that her clothes were missing. "Why?" She asked the figure that walked into view.

"Because he seems to like you." Tomoe told her, lip curling in disgust.

"He won't like you, no matter what you do to me."

"That doesn't matter anymore. Now, I just want him to suffer." She looked behind her with a twisted grin. "She's all yours, Cho."

Another person stepped out from the shadows. "Hello again, Kaoru." The blond vampire smiled, displaying his fangs. They weren't like they had been in Kaoru's memory. Now, like Tomoe's, they were short and thick. "Ready to have some more fun?"

Kaoru closed her eyes, feeling sick. _No._ Her mind begged. _Not again. Please… Kenshin!_

_Kaoru? _Kenshin nearly wept with relief. They had been discussing what shape they would travel in to pursue her. He'd been all set on falcon, because they were fast, until Aoshi pointed out that birds lacked the sense of smell necessary for finding Kaoru.

_Oh, Kenshin! Help me! It's going to happen again!_

_We're on our way._ He assured her, not pausing to wonder why she knew she could thought-speak with him. _Where are you?_

Kaoru looked around, mouth going dry as Cho knelt next to her. _It looks like a warehouse of some sort. Kenshin… __he__ is here._

Kenshin knew instantly who she meant. He snarled and took off running on all fours before his body had completely changed to wolf. _Hold on, Kaoru. We're coming!_

Kaoru's only reply was a piercing scream of pain as fangs tore into her leg.

Kenshin swore, and doubled the speed at which he was running.

_Kenshin!_ Sanosuke panted. _Slow down! _

_ No!_ He yelled back.

_Is she awake?_ Aoshi asked quietly. _Can you hear her? _

_ I… I'm aware of her._ He responded dully.

_What is she saying? _

_ She is screaming. In pain. _

Nobody spoke after that. They just used their noses to track Kaoru's scent.

* * *

Kaoru screamed, trying desperately to twist away from the man who was hurting her, but he and the rope held her tightly in place as he forced himself into her.

The wall in front of her disintegrated, and cold, furious silence followed the explosion. She cracked one eye open, trying not to see the thrusting man on top of her. "Kenshin…" She sobbed.

She couldn't see the people behind Kenshin, nor did she care. Her eyes were locked onto his face. His bright red eyes were livid with rage. His lip curled in a snarl as his eyes met hers, displaying long, needle thin, fangs. He moved, seeming to barely take a step, and ripped the blond vampire off her.

Kaoru didn't see what happened after that. All she knew was that there was a lot of growling and snarling that ended with a rather sickening crunch. She whimpered as another wave of pain tore through her.

Strong but gentle fingers touched her shoulder. "Let me look you over." Megumi told her in a soothing voice.

"How bad is it?" Kenshin's voice, rough with anger, asked a few seconds later. He knelt at her hands, tearing away the ropes that bound her.

Kaoru tried to answer him, but another sharp pain raced through her, causing her to scream again.

_Why is she screaming?_ Kenshin asked Megumi worriedly.

_I'm not sure yet._ "Well, it feels like three of her ribs are broken. A sprained wrist from the ropes, but that's easy enough to heal." Her voice turned sour. "Then there's the obvious. She's bleeding; that jerk was unintentionally rough. And-" She broke off, swearing.

Kenshin eyed her, alarmed. He'd never heard her swear before, not in all the time he'd known her. "What is it, Megumi?"

"You have to decide if you want Kaoru to be a vampire or not."

His voice and expression turned icy. "Why?"

Megumi pointed to Kaoru's leg. Beneath the blood, he could see torn skin. "Because he bit her. You know how painful the venom is; that's why she keeps screaming."

Kenshin stood abruptly and turned away. He shook with rage, looking for some way to relieve it.

Kaoru bit her cheek until it bled. The pain in her leg was like fire, and it was spreading. She whimpered again, tears pouring out of her eyes.

"Ken-san! You have to decide now!"

He whirled to face Megumi. "What choice do I have?!" He spat back harshly. "There's no cure!"

"There's a chance. You could suck out the venom."

"Suck it… how do you know I won't make it worse? What if _I'm_ venomous?!"

"Open your mouth." Megumi commanded. When he complied, she continued. "While it's true that you always seem to be on the edge between venomous and not, your fangs don't lie. You're safe, so you have to make the choice!"

Kenshin snarled in frustration. _Shishou! Kaoru's been bitten. Can I save her if I suck the venom out?_

Hiko didn't respond for several long minutes, and Kenshin began to worry that he hadn't heard him. _If the venom hasn't spread too much. _Hiko told him finally. _It will work. But you need to act quickly. _

Kenshin looked at Kaoru again, nostrils flaring. The bite was only inches away from where Kaoru's legs met. "Perverted bastard." He muttered with an angry sigh. _Am I strong enough to do this?_

"Ken-san! Decide now!" Megumi's sharp tone brought him back to reality.

He knelt next to Kaoru, gently brushing her bangs back. "Kaoru?"

"K… Kenshin…" Kaoru whimpered. "It huuurts!"

"I know. Listen, Kaoru. I… I can take the pain away. But to do so, I have to cause you more pain."

Kaoru bit her cheek again. The pain was still spreading. "Please!" She begged him.

It took Kenshin another minute to harden his resolve. "Hold her still." He commanded Megumi. He grabbed Kaoru's leg gently, but firmly, in his hands, opened his mouth and embedded his fangs into the bite mark. The blood that flowed over his tongue was bitter, vile. He gagged, but didn't release her.

Her scream increased in volume as the new wave of pain hit her. She tried to get away, but was held in place by his hands and Megumi's. Tears continued to fall freely from her eyes.

It seemed to Kenshin like hours were passing. He was taking too much blood; he was sure of it. But her blood didn't taste clean yet. How far had the poison spread?

The first swallow of blood was sweeter than her could have imagined. He took a couple more mouthfuls, just to be safe, then sealed the wound and pulled away. "Kaoru?" He asked apprehensively.

Her voice, when she spoke, was barely more than a whisper. "The pain's gone. Thank you, Kenshin."

Relief flooded him and renewed his anger. He shrugged off his jacket and put it over her, looking her in the eyes.

Kaoru felt herself getting sleepy and turned away. "I don't want to sleep, Kenshin." She muttered.

"You need to. Your body needs to recover from the shock it went through. Also, Megumi will be able to heal your ribs better if you aren't fighting her." _And I have some business to take care of._ "It will be dreamless, don't worry."

She winced. His voice was harsh, although she knew it wasn't directed at her. She opened her mouth to protest again, but his will pressed down on her, sending her toward sleep. The last thing she heard was Kenshin arranging with Sanosuke and Megumi to transport her to his home, and not to leave her until he got back.

_Yay, another chapter down. So, did anyone guess that Cho was the bad guy? ^^ Thanks again to all my readers. Next chapter: sayanara Tomoe (Yay!!) and Kenshin tells Kaoru the truth. Ja ne!_

**Glossary:**

_shishou: master_

_Ken-san: __Megumi's name for Kenshin. It means 'sir ken'_


	12. Chapter 12

_Alas, I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I also do not own the Twilight series, or any other vampire stories that this may make one think of._

**Pursuing his Mate**

_By: Shiara-dono_

_Chapter 12_

He tracked her. He was used to it, so it was easy. Hiko had long ago appointed him the task of tracking venomous vampires, to quarantine the ones that came willingly, to kill the ones that didn't.

Still, tracking her proved too easy. She hadn't gone far, only a couple blocks. He growled in disappointment; he would have liked a longer chase. He knew he'd have to approach her carefully; the wrong move could have her fleeing.

She whirled, nostrils flaring with fear as he stepped from the shadows. His vivid red eyes made her smile cruelly at him. "How much of her blood did you have to drink?"

"Too much." He replied softly.

A gleam of triumph entered her eyes. "So, she's dead. That's good."

He didn't bother to correct her. It was easier if she believed it. He stepped closer. "You could have saved yourself the trouble. You and she don't even compare."

Tomoe tried to hide her elation. "I knew you'd come back to me."

He had her backed against the wall now. One of his hands gently stroked her cheek. "Of course." He paused, dropping his voice to a soft coo. "Poor, poor Tomoe. I didn't even notice that you had become venomous. You know what that requires, right?"

She shivered, from his tone and touch. "You… you're going to quarantine me, right?"

He leaned forward like he was going to kiss her, and she closed her eyes in anticipation. "Quarantine?" He whispered. "No, I don't think so. For you, there will only be a very painful death."

Tomoe never saw the sword he held. The only thing she was aware of was his fingers digging into her face, slowly crushing her skull. Her scream echoed into the night.

* * *

Kenshin dunked his head under a running faucet, letting the water run down his neck. He could still taste the bile in his mouth, a testimony of the violent retching only moments earlier.

He hadn't bothered cleaning up the bloody mess that was once Tomoe, leaving it on the street for somebody to find. He didn't really care, though. She deserved it. But it hadn't calmed his rage like he'd hoped it would.

_I still need to find Enishi; he's just as guilty as she is, but he'll be harder to deal with. I don't feel like killing anyone else tonight, though, and I need to get back to Kaoru. Maybe I'll just ask Aoshi to have one of his contacts take care of the job for me. _Heaving a huge sigh, Kenshin turned off the water faucet, and faded back into the night.

* * *

Kaoru was groggy when she awoke. She decided that and the lack of pain meant the IV stuck in her arm had to be administering painkillers. A flicker of movement in the far corner of the room caught her attention. Two red orbs glowed back at her from the darkness. She screamed.

"Relax, Kaoru. It's me."

"Kenshin?" Her fear vanished despite his ice cold voice. "Why are you sitting all the way over there?"

He hesitated. "I'm… I'm not in control of myself right now."

"Then what is? Anger?"

He laughed, a cold, harsh sound. "Anger? That doesn't begin to cover it. I don't trust myself at this moment to get any closer to you."

_Does he realize those words have a double meaning?_ Kaoru thought to herself. "I trust you."

Kenshin sighed. "Kaoru… you were just raped! I would think you wouldn't want me anywhere near you!"

"Why? Do you plan on raping me too?"

Kenshin's breath stuck in his throat. "I… I would _never_…" He began.

"Then I have nothing to worry about. So come over here, or I'll rip this IV out."

"Please don't." Even in the near pitch darkness, she could tell he grimaced as he made his decision. Slowly, carefully, he sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm surprised you're taking what happened to you so calmly."

"You want me to rant and scream and cry my eyes out?"

"Well, it would seem more normal."

_Like you're one to judge what normal is._ She thought with sarcasm, and felt him cringe. She shrugged rather than respond; she didn't want him to know how close she really was to falling apart. It was easier if she kept her mind off it. "Your eyes are still red."

He gave another bitter laugh. "With how much rage is still coursing through me? I'll be surprised if my fangs-" He snapped his mouth shut.

"I have questions" Kaoru began after a moment.

"Yes."

Kaoru decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. "You're a vampire."

He closed his eyes, a painful gesture. "Yes." It was a whisper, full of regret.

"That bothers you?"

"It's… not the life I would have chosen for myself. How did you figure it out?"

"When you bit me. The fang marks were kind of a dead giveaway."

"Sorry." Kenshin mumbled. He opened his eyes. "You've known that long? Why didn't you say anything?"

She shrugged again. "I wasn't sure how to bring it up. But you seem harmless enough."

"Harmless?! Kaoru, I'm a vampire!"

"Yeah, but you're different than that other one… aren't you?"

He blew out a huge gust of air, and Kaoru could smell the blood on it. _My blood._ "In some ways." Kenshin admitted with another sigh. "There are two kinds of vampires. First, like Tomoe, or the other one. They look just like everyone else, but they have fangs that are short, wide, and a little blunt. We call them venomous, because of the toxin that develops in sacs behind their fangs. It is that venom that turns people into vampires. As you found out, being bit by one of them hurts like hell.

"The second type of vampires are those you know, Sano, Megumi, …" He grimaced. "… and me. We are not venomous, but don't let that fool you into thinking we are harmless. We can become venomous at any time. We are strong; we can kill. We have to drink blood to survive, but we can supplement with normal human food. Our fangs are long and thin and very sharp." He paused to give her time to absorb what he'd said.

"Why… why did Megumi have to confirm that you weren't venomous?"

"You heard that? …I… I always seem to be on the edge bordering venomous. Whether that's due to some leftover insanity or not, no one knows. My fangs aren't as thin or sharp as the others, for which I apologize. I know it hurt when I drew the venom out, but I wouldn't have let anyone else do it."

"Why not?"

"Because I have a strong jealous streak. I mean it when I say I'm in love with you Kaoru. It is very difficult to let other males near you, even ones that I've known for years. I suppose Megumi could have done it, but she would only have gone to the limit of what was safe, which wouldn't have been enough." He paused again, giving her an intense red-eyed stare. "It's surprising that you're conscious, really. You probably need a blood transfusion."

Kaoru groaned. "I'll take my chances."

"I thought as much."

She glared at him. "You said, 'insanity?'"

"Aren't you tired?"

"Yes, but if I don't ask now, I may never get answers to my questions."

"I suppose you are right…" He sighed again. "If memory serves, I was twelve when I became a vampire."

"You're _twelve_?!" Kaoru cried in shock.

"No, no, no! I was twelve. With vampires, I'm told, if we are changed young, we continue to age for a while, usually stopping somewhere in our twenties. If someone is changed after their twenties, they don't regress, but stay the age they are changed at."

Now Kaoru's mind was starting to reel. "So, how old are you?"

"I stopped aging when I turned twenty-eight."

_Twenty-eight? He doesn't even look __that__ old._ "How long ago was that?"

"A while. I can tell you the story, if you want."

"Yes, please."

"…okay." He drew in a breath. "I was out late one night, later than I should have been out, but back then I didn't know vampires existed. A venomous vampire attacked me on my way home. He didn't plan on changing me; I was only to serve as a meal for him. But…" He growled and Kaoru looked at him. "Sorry. Tomoe's the one who came upon us and killed him before he could finish me off. She waited with me while I changed and educated me in what I'd become. I was so nervous when I finally made it back to Shishou's house, because I didn't know he was a vampire. The only reason I found out is because I was so thirsty one day and took a drink from his sake jug, only to discover it was mixed with blood.

"A few years after I was changed… I became venomous. I left Shishou's house and killed a lot of people."

"But wouldn't the killings have been reported?"

"They were." He paused for a long moment. "You've heard of Hitokiri Battosai, haven't you?"

Kaoru nodded. "The famous assassin of the Bakamatsu. …that was _you_?! But… but… that was more than a hundred years ago!"

He shrugged. "Vampires live a long time. I'm not proud of what I did back then. I may have been ordered to kill those people, but I reveled in the shedding of blood. Shishou finally tracked me down and dragged me back to his house, to quarantine me until I recovered. That's what that room is; memories of my time in quarantine. And this sword…"

Kaoru heard movement and looked at his hands. Through the darkness that she had become accustomed to, she could barely make out the black sword. "That's the one that burned me."

"Aa. Sorry about that. This has only ever been a killing sword and the blood it has absorbed has turned to an acid of types, one that only my blood can counteract."

"Tomoe-" Kaoru began.

Kenshin's jaw clenched and he fingered the sword. "She no longer breathes air. … I am sorry."

"You blame yourself?"

"Not for what I am. I didn't have a choice in that. But for what happened to you? Yes, I blame myself. If you hadn't met me, none of this would have happened."

"You don't think he would have found me again under other circumstances?"

Kenshin shrugged. "What I should do… the right thing to do, would be to erase your memories of me, and then have Shishou transfer you to a different company." He held up a hand at Kaoru's cry of panicked protest. "Don't worry; I'm a selfish creature. When we first met I may have been able to, but now I don't think I'm strong enough to force you away." He paused. "I can see that you have more questions. Let me get you something to drink first." He stood up.

"You're not going to skip out of here, are you?" Kaoru asked warily.

She could hear the beginning of a smile in his voice as he responded. "No. Just give me a minute. I will be right back, Kaoru."

_Done with another chapter, yay! I know it's a horrible place to stop, but I needed a stopping place or this chapter would have been twice as long. And don't worry; Kaoru's mental breakdown will be next chapter. To all my reviewers: I wrote on my profile that I wrote this story years ago, even before the Twilight saga had come out. I can't help it if I had similar ideas; my stories write themselves. Anyway, there's about three chapters left to this story. Thanks again to all my readers. Ja ne!_


	13. Chapter 13

_Alas, I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I also do not own the Twilight series, or any other vampire stories that this may make one think of._

**Pursuing his Mate**

_By: Shiara-dono_

_Chapter 13_

He returned a couple minutes later with a glass of water. "Here." He said, handing her the glass.

"Thank you." She sat up and drank from it gratefully.

"You have more questions." It was spoken as a statement.

Kaoru looked away. "Yes." _But I'm embarrassed to ask my next question. _

Kenshin heard her thought. "Don't be embarrassed. You can ask me anything."

A blush stained her cheeks. "That… vampire, the one that hurt me. Will… will I get pregnant?"

_Good question. _"To answer that, no. Venomous vampires are not capable of reproduction."

"What about non-venomous vampires?"

"No one knows. Vampire to vampire cannot, but vampire to human? It's very rare for a vampire and a human to be together. Pregnancy might be possible, but studies have never been done on it."

"Why not?"

Kenshin remained silent. "I see." Kaoru spoke quietly.

"It's who we are. We are far stronger than we look, Kaoru, you know that. And accidents do happen." He sighed. "You need sleep."

"One more, and then I will. But it's a request, actually."

Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "Okay. Ask me your little request."

_I don't know if you'd call it 'little.'_ "Don't freak out, okay?" When he didn't respond, she heaved a sigh and continued. "I… I want to see how your fangs work. How they draw in blood."

"Absolutely not!" His denial was instant.

"Please?"

"Why?! Why would you want to see that? The only way I could show you would be to take more of your blood. I've already drank so much today!"

"I'm not talking about a huge amount, or even from my neck; I wouldn't be able to see that way. I'll prick my finger. It's a small, safe amount, and I'd be able to watch."

_Safe? She calls bleeding around a vampire __safe__?!_ "Kaoru-"

"Please?" She broke in. "Please, do this for me?"

Kenshin snarled softly. _She just __had__ to go and use that tone of voice._ "Fine." He growled gruffly. "Let me turn on the light so you can see better."

Her eyes had grown accustomed to the darkness, so the sudden bright light blinded her. She blinked rapidly, clearing spots from her vision as she looked at him. He looked haggard, worn, with stress lines visible around his clenched jaw. His vivid red eyes still shone with ill contained rage. "You look awful."

_Way to not sugar-coat it._ "I feel awful. Now move over. If we're going to do this, we're going to do this right. Gravity will help."

Kaoru moved slowly, gritting her teeth in pain. Just because the IV was dripping painkillers into her system didn't mean moving wouldn't hurt.

"We could do this another time, when you aren't in so much pain." His tone betrayed the hope in that statement.

_He's hoping that we can put it off and I'll forget about it._ "No. We do this now."

He sighed and lay down on the bed next to her, moving her IV so that it wouldn't get in the way… and so that she wouldn't make good on her threat to rip it out. _Megumi would kill me._ Taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth for her.

She studied his fangs for a while. They were long and thin, like snake fangs. Despite what he'd told her, she couldn't see any discernable difference than how she'd imagined they'd look. The heat radiating off his skin distracted her, and she placed a hand against his forehead. "You're burning up!"

"It's the rage. I don't have an outlet for it, so it's manifesting as fever. I'll be fine." _I'm so asking for trouble, but I no longer care._ Gently, he lifted her up by her arms and set her on top of his stomach. "Now you'll be able to see better."

Kaoru gulped, heat rushing to her face. Kenshin opened his mouth again for her. Hesitantly, she reached out, pressing her finger against the tip of one fang. She winced; they were sharper than she'd thought they'd be. Blood welled on her finger. She watched in morbid fascination as her blood was drawn into the fang, as if the fang was a vacuum. About an inch behind Kenshin's fangs were small holes in his palate that she hadn't noticed before. The blood bubbled out of these holes, dripping onto his tongue. He swallowed on impulse. "So that's how it works." Kaoru mumbled softly to herself.

"Yeah." Kenshin gently licked her finger, sealing the wound.

Kaoru looked at her hand. "I take it there are taste buds on the back of your tongue?"

He snorted. "We aren't that different from humans. But yes, there are. Taste was how I knew when your blood was clean."

She was quiet for a while, thinking, processing what she'd been told. She looked at him again and blushed, noticing he was watching her, making sure to keep her mind carefully blank.

"What are you thinking?"

"… How I want to kiss you."

"How you wh-" Kenshin's words were cut off by Kaoru's mouth. His eyes opened wide in surprise, then slowly closed.

Kaoru expected him to push her away immediately, so she was shocked to feel his arms wind around her waist, pulling her firmly against him. His mouth moved under hers, robbing her of breath. She gasped as his tongue slipped into her mouth, inviting her to dance with him. His fangs cut her, but he didn't stop.

He was relentless, crushing her against him. Her blood was beginning to heat up, and her heart was thundering in her chest. A moan escaped her, and Kaoru felt Kenshin's arms tighten around her.

He reluctantly released her a few minutes later. "Sorry." He muttered, and Kaoru was pleased to hear that he was a little breathless.

"S'okay." Kaoru answered, panting. "Did… did that help?"

"What?"

"Did that help… with your rage?"

Kenshin chuckled and kissed her forehead. "A little." He paused. "_Now_ will you rest?"

Kaoru sighed. "Okay." She started to move off him, wincing again.

"Here." He picked her up by her arms again and slid out from under her. He moved the IV back over so that she could rest comfortably, and tucked her in. He leaned back down and kissed her again, this time gently. "I will be in the dojo upstairs if you need me."

"'kay. Thanks, Kenshin."

* * *

Kaoru listened in on his thoughts until she was sure he was upstairs training. Only then did she give herself over to the hysteria that she had been hiding. She tried to be quiet about it, but the sobs got bigger, wracking her body.

Kenshin slipped into the room undetected. His eyes crinkled in distress over her grief. He didn't know what he could do to help her; letting her know that he was there would not be wise. So, he watched her until she cried herself to sleep.

She broke down crying several more times during the night. Each time he watched helplessly, until he finally couldn't handle it anymore. He gathered her into his arms, speaking softly. "I wish I knew how to help you, Kaoru. I want to take away this pain from you. Won't you let me erase your memory of it?"

Kaoru shook her head, trying to stem the flow of tears. "No, it's okay. I'll stop soon. I just… I just… I just didn't want it to happen again!" She buried her head in his chest, sobbing again.

He held her until she fell asleep. Then he carefully set her back under the covers and walked out of the room. Not far out of the house, he met up with Sanosuke.

"How's Jou-chan?"

"Honestly? She broke down into hysterics as soon as I left the room. I offered to erase her memory of it, but she told me no." Kenshin sighed. "She knows we're vampires; she's known all along."

"Wow. Can't believe she stayed quiet all this time. How are you doing?"

"Well, killing Tomoe didn't help. And Enishi's still on the run; I'm going to ask Aoshi to have someone deal with him. Kaoru attempted to help, but I'm still full of rage over what was done to her."

"Want to pretend I'm venomous, so that you can chase and attack me?"

"Thanks for the offer, Sano, but I'll have to decline. It'd be too easy for me to slip up right now and kill you."

Sanosuke paled. "Ah. Then… what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to go hunting. Having blood other than hers in my system might help calm me down." He paused, then sighed again. "I want you to come with me, Sano. You can make sure I don't kill anyone else tonight."

_Yay, another chapter out of the way. Things are finally winding down. Only two chapters left! One question I'm getting is is Kaoru a vampire? To answer that, no. Kenshin sucked the poison out, so she wasn't turned. Sorry to those of you that want her to be a vampire; it won't happen in this story. Maybe in one of my other stories, if I ever get around to finishing it. Next chapter: what happens when Kaoru finally gets fed up with Kenshin? Thanks again to all my readers and reviewers. Ja ne!_


	14. Chapter 14

_Alas, I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I also do not own the Twilight series, or any other vampire stories that this may make one think of._

**Pursuing his Mate**

_By: Shiara-dono_

_Chapter 14_

For two weeks, while Kaoru healed, Kenshin did his best to avoid her. He'd talk to her at work since she was his secretary, but he wouldn't visit her house, wouldn't touch her, hug her, or kiss her, and he absolutely refused to drink her blood. His eyes had regained their amber coloring after a while, but they were dull and lifeless. His hair and general appearance had once again become scruffy and worn.

He looked like the walking dead to Kaoru, and it was ticking her off. Finally, she couldn't stand it any longer, and went to confront him about it.

Kaoru yanked the door to his office open so hard that it crashed into the wall, leaving a dent. The occupants of the office jumped from the sound, looking at her with shock. Megumi, Sanosuke, and Aoshi were obviously in the middle of a meeting with Kenshin.

"Out!" Kaoru growled at the three other vampires, earning an amused look from all of them.

_Ooh, she's pissed at you!_ Sanosuke couldn't help but thought say to Kenshin.

_Obviously._ Once they had left and Kaoru closed the door, Kenshin sighed. "Something the matter, Kaoru?" _Sanosuke, if I catch you listening, I will personally ration the amount of food you're given for the next week._ He was satisfied to hear a small wail outside the door, followed by the sound of retreating footsteps.

"Yes, there is. You've been avoiding me."

"I talk to you here. I don't call that avoiding."

"So?!" Kaoru exploded. "That's all you've been doing! Talking to me here, _as your secretary!!_ We don't talk outside of work anymore, you haven't even tried to kiss me, and why the hell did you stop drinking my blood?!"

Kenshin leaned back in his chair, so that it rested on two legs. "I thought you might like the break."

"Don't be so self-righteous!" Kaoru growled at him, then sighed. "Why haven't you done the ritual with me yet?"

Kenshin jerked in surprise, toppling out of his chair. "What… when did you-?" He asked from the ground.

"You and Hiko were talking about it one day."

"That conversation… that wasn't… how did you overhear that?!"

Kaoru shrugged. "Ever since you rescued me from my mind, I've been able to hear most of your thoughts. So answer the question."

Kenshin slowly picked himself up off the floor. Not trusting the chair again, he leaned back against the wall. "Kaoru, do you even know what the ritual involves?"

"Sex, right?"

He winced; she could be so direct sometimes. "That's part of it. The ritual is our equivalent of marriage, only it's more binding, and can only be done with one's mate. If a non-mate pair try, well, the results aren't pretty."

"So, how do you find your mate, then?"

Kenshin held out his hand. "Give me your hand."

She stepped closer and put her hand in his, barely flinching at the now familiar electrical pulse. "That?!"

He nodded, dropping her hand. "I've felt it all along; you have no idea how much it surprised me that first day. I'm just really good at hiding things." Kenshin sighed. "Kaoru, the ritual doesn't just consist of sex. Part of the ritual, the eternally binding part, is the exchanging of blood."

Kaoru paled.

"Now you see? You're not a vampire; how can I ask you to exchange blood with me? I'm sorry that I've hurt you by avoiding you, but I think it's for the best, don't you?"

She answered his question with one of her own. "How… how can you do this to yourself, knowing that I'm your mate?"

"Not easily." Kenshin admitted. "You can see for yourself the results of my fighting it, just by looking at me. But over the years, I've gotten really good at denying myself the things I want."

Kaoru was quiet for a moment. Then she glared at him. "You're forgetting something."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I am?"

She nodded and took a breath. "Yes. You're forgetting what I want." Kaoru only had to apply a little pressure to his chest, in his shocked state, to pin him against the wall. Her mouth was on his before he could protest, demanding and unyielding.

Kenshin's breath stuck in his throat. He found he lacked the strength to push her away. _When did she get so strong? Or, have I gotten weaker?_ A groan of desire bubbled up inside of him. Kaoru's hands were roaming over his chest, destroying all traces of coherent thought. He molded her against him, one hand tilting her head so that he could deepen the kiss. He explored her mouth with his tongue, reveling in her taste.

He had no idea how he managed to break free, or why he even wanted to. "Not… not here, koishii." He panted, voice dropping into silkier tones.

Kaoru shivered. "Where, then?"

The husky edge to her voice had him crushing her against him again in another searing kiss. "My place." He whispered against her mouth. "Can you last an hour? So that I can clean up a little?"

Kaoru didn't see what the big deal was. She'd been over to his place several times. What did she care if it was messy?

He chuckled, hearing the thought. "I meant me."

"Oh."

"Yes, 'oh.' Now, go on. I'll see you in an hour." After another few minutes of sweltering kisses, he watched her walk dazedly out of his office. _Shishou?_ He called up after she left. _I'm leaving early. Also… don't come home tonight._

Kenshin could almost feel Hiko's eyebrow raise. _What's up, baka deshi? Something wrong? _

_ No, not… wrong. Something's right,… I think. Kaoru wants to do the ritual with me._

There was a long pause. Then Hiko's booming laughter echoed through the entire building. _It's about time!! _

Kenshin winced. _Aa. I guess it is. So, don't come home tonight? _

_ For that reason, yes. I'm sure I can find a lady friend to entertain myself while you finalize your bond with the girl. Good luck, baka deshi. _

_ Thank you, Shishou. _Breathing a sigh of relief that they wouldn't be interrupted, Kenshin swiftly gathered his things and exited the building. After all, the ritual was going to be difficult enough, with all the things that Kaoru had been through, without having snide commentary coming from the other room.

_And just because I was bored and you have all been so nice to read my story, here's the next chapter! Thank you all for the many reviews I have gotten. I hope to post the next chapter soon, but we move in a week, so we'll just have to see. Anyway, next chapter will finally have some lemony goodness, although I don't know how in depth I'll get. Ja ne!_

**Glossary:**

_koishii: a term of endearment, from a guy, to the girl he loves  
_

_shishou:master_

_baka deshi: __ what Hiko calls Kenshin. It means 'idiot apprentice'_


	15. Chapter 15

_Finally! The last chapter is finally here!_

_Alas, I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I also do not own the Twilight series, or any other vampire stories that this may make one think of._

**Pursuing his Mate**

_By: Shiara-dono_

_Chapter 15_

Once it hit an hour, Kenshin began to fidget. He'd never done this before; what if something went wrong? What if he hurt her? What if-? His thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell ringing. He took a couple steps and opened it.

"Sorry I'm late." Kaoru muttered as she looked at the sidewalk, red-faced. "I, um, got held up."

"Held… up?" Kenshin's jaw dropped as he looked her over. She was dressed in an elegant royal blue silk overcoat that was trimmed with silver fur. Her hair had been brushed until it shone, and was left to fall freely down her back. Dark blue paint adorned the lids of her eyes, and a light scent of perfume rose from her skin.

"Megumi showed up at my house just as I got home. I… I sort of became her dress-up doll."

Kenshin chuckled. _I must remember to thank Megumi._ "You look very beautiful, Kaoru, as you always do."

Kaoru blushed darker. "You look nice, too." She mumbled, glancing up at him through her lashes. His hair was silky again, tied in a high ponytail. A small silver hoop punctured his right earlobe. He was wearing a loose black gi, embroidered with dragons, that he hadn't bothered to tuck into his hakama, which were also black and also silk.

He chuckled again, and took her hand. He led her into the house and down a flight of stairs that she had never noticed.

_How many stairways does this place __have__?_

"A lot." Kenshin admitted, answering her silent inquiry. "Shishou renovates when he gets bored, which is every fifty years or so. As it is, the room at the bottom of this stairwell has never been used, even though it was made especially for me."

"Why hasn't it been used?"

"Because it's a 'special occasion' room." He fell silent as he pushed the door open, motioning her inside.

Kaoru gasped. The room was beautiful and very… mood setting. Candles attached to the walls lit the room just enough to see. The carpet under her feet was black and made of some plush material. A decent-sized bed sat in the middle of the room, dressed with silver sheets and black blankets patterned with dragons. "This… is a beautiful room, Kenshin."

"It is what it's made to be." He smiled slightly at her and walked over to the bed to turn down the covers.

Kaoru used the time while his back was turned to remove her overcoat, letting it fall.

Kenshin heard something slither to the floor and turned. His mouth dropped open and his mind went blank.

Under the overcoat, Kaoru was wearing an ankle-length sleeveless robe so dark blue in color that it was almost black. Whatever the fabric was, it had the look of silk, only it was sheer. Across her chest and from navel to upper calf, the fabric was opaque, but it still hid little. A split ran up the robe to Kaoru's hip, exposing the expanse of one smooth leg. The neckline of the robe plunged to her ribs, giving Kenshin a good glimpse of her curves.

He felt his body immediately respond in approval to the image before him. _I must __definitely__ remember to thank Megumi. _"You look-" _Ravishing, but I don't think she'll take that as the compliment it's meant to be. _He cleared his throat. "Well. You certainly know how to get someone's attention."

Kaoru looked at the floor again, face bright red. She felt Kenshin step closer to her, and his fingers gently tilted her head up so she was looking at him.

Kenshin's eyes were glowing. "I love you, koishii." He pressed his lips gently to hers for a moment, then he pulled back. "Are you _sure_? We don't have to do this. We can stop now."

She thought about it a moment, as she watched him brace himself for her refusal. "What, um... what will happen?"

"Well, there is the physical aspect, as you know. I will try to make it as painless for you as possible, but I'm not going to lie to you and say it won't hurt, because I don't know for sure. Then there is the exchange of blood. As it is told, once we taste each other's blood, there is a force of some kind that will compel us to finish. It's not something we will be able to fight against."

Kaoru bit her lip. She didn't like the idea of being _forced_ to do anything. She looked at Kenshin and realized he was giving her a choice. She could back away now, back away forever, even.

_I will wait for as long as you want me to._ His voice spoke in her mind.

She shook her head. "No. I won't make you wait. Just... try to go slow?"

He took her trembling hand. "I will try." Gently, he kissed her again, reaching around behind her to locate the clasps that kept her robe on. Her opened them, letting the material join the overcoat on the floor.

Kaoru shivered as he led her over to the bed and set her on top of it. She watched as he stepped back and removed his gi, hakama, and loin cloth. Her blush deepened as he climbed on the bed with her.

"Kaoru? Can I do something outside of the ritual? I... I want your first time with me to be something more than just formalities."

"W... what did you have in mind?"

He looked her in the eyes. "Trust me?"

She gulped, but the look in his eyes didn't give her any reason to doubt. So, she nodded.

Kenshin smiled at her, then leaned in to kiss her again. It was a soft kiss at first, but quickly grew in fire. He pressed closer to her, slipping his tongue into her mouth. Once she was panting, he left her mouth, trailing kisses down her neck. He licked where her pulse was strongest, then sank his fangs slowly through her skin.

Kaoru's whimper of pain quickly turned to a sigh of pleasure as he began to suck. He pulled away after a moment, his amber eyes red flames as he looked at her.

"Ke... Kenshin?"

"I'm okay." He replied in a husky voice that caused Kaoru to shiver. "This isn't the first time I've tasted your blood, so I haven't lost control yet." He kissed her again, lowering her onto the bed. He trailed soft kisses along her jaw, down her neck, across her collarbone. His tongue darted out, tasting one of her nipples.

Kaoru gasped at the feeling that went through her. _A... again._

Kenshin laughed. Even her mind's voice was breathless. But he complied with her order, giving her the pleasure she deserved. As her back arched and he turned to the other breast, his hand slid down over the skin of her stomach, along the outside of one leg, and back up her inner thigh.

Kaoru's breath caught, the warm desire in her blood freezing to ice.

Kenshin sensed the change immediately and backed away with a groan. "We... we can't do this. This is wrong!"

"Kenshin..." Kaoru began.

"No, Kaoru, it _is_ wrong! You're afraid of me. And you're mortal. If I got carried away..."

Kaoru sighed. She grabbed his hair and dragged him down until he was less than an inch above her. "Kenshin, it's not you I'm afraid of. I am afraid, yes, but I may have this fear for the rest of my life. Yes, I am mortal, but I know you love me, and I know you won't intentionally hurt me. So, it is okay. I'll deal with my fear." When he still looked indecisive, she sighed again, and pulled him down the remaining distance to kiss him. She used a trembling hand to grab his and put it back where it had been.

He was still for a few more moments, but then he gently brushed his hand against her thigh again. His fingers traveled up, pausing a moment, then sinking into her warmth.

She gasped as he stroked her, tightening her grip on his hair. She dragged him to her mouth for another kiss as he continued to tease her. She growled in annoyance when he removed his hand. _"Ke... Kenshin!"_ She pleaded.

He grinned at her, fangs glinting in the low light. "Oh, I'm not done with you yet. Since you allowed me to, I'm just prolonging the fun." His grin widened as she growled again. Before she could react, he pulled out of her embrace and repositioned himself so he could be between her legs. He kissed the spot on her thigh that Cho had bitten, sinking his own fangs into the spot and sucking gently, hoping that this would make Kaoru no longer associate that spot with pain and horror. Then he turned his attention to pleasuring her again, placing his mouth where his fingers had been, stroking with his tongue.

Kaoru whimpered, her fingers digging into his scalp as she unconsciously pulled him closer. It felt better than any experience she'd ever had. She writhed as he flicked his tongue against the spot that all her desire was coming from. She could feel a pressure building, building until she rose off the bed screaming her release. She collapsed back into the bed, breathing heavily.

Kenshin sat up, wiping his mouth. "Did you... enjoy that?"

She nodded, breathless, unable to voice her response.

He smiled, and leaned in to kiss her. "Ready to continue?" His voice begged her to say yes. When she nodded, he leaned over her, closing his mouth over one of her breasts again. As she arched her back in response, he swallowed hard, and used one sharp nail to slice into his neck.

Kaoru's attention was drawn to the red liquid welling from the wound. It must have hurt him, but he didn't give any indication. Nausea hit her as the blood splashed onto her lips. She swallowed against her rising gorge, and ran her tongue along her lips to catch the red liquid. Her eyes opened wide in surprise. His blood didn't taste like blood. For that matter, it didn't taste like anything she could name, but it was intoxicatingly wonderful. She reached up and pulled him down so she could fasten her mouth over the wound.

Kenshin groaned, a sound of want. He twisted around so he could reach her neck, sinking his fangs in again. The desire hit them through their blood simultaneously, but it was worse for Kenshin. His control shattered, he groaned again, an almost inhuman snarl. With quick movements, he readjusted his position, forcing Kaoru's legs open. Then, with his fangs still firmly embedded in her neck, he gave a quick, hard thrust, burying himself deep between her legs.

Kaoru screamed in pain as he entered her. She tried to pull away, but he held her in place as he began a hard, rough rhythm. One of his hands guided her head so that her mouth was pressed against his neck again. She whimpered, but swallowed the blood before she choked.

Desire came with that mouthful, and his fast pace was no longer painful. She moaned from pleasure, arching against him. She swallowed more of his blood, rising in time to meet his thrusts. The pressure built within her again, building until she couldn't stand it anymore. She screamed, and he thrust one last time, his inhuman cry mingling with hers.

Kenshin collapsed against her, breathing raggedly. After a time, he rolled off her, pulling her against his so she could rest on his stomach.

Once Kaoru's breathing returned to normal, she looked up at him. "Um... Kenshin?"

"I am sorry, Kaoru. I didn't want to lose control like that. Did I hurt you?"

"Only at first. But I'm okay now." She sat up. "But I do have a couple questions." _Well, more than a couple._

"What are your questions, koishii?" He asked, and gentle and loving smile on his face.

Kaoru blushed; she wasn't used to endearments. "Just wondering, really. What happens now?"

"Well, there haven't been many couples like us, and even less that have survived, so it's difficult to say. You will crave blood-"

Kaoru paled, and he chuckled. "Let me finish. You will crave _my_ blood, which you can freely have any time you want. That's the only certain fact, but there is a legend among vampires. It tells of the first known vampire taking a human as his lover. He somehow managed not to kill her, and they lived many years together. She stayed human, but she was stronger, faster, all of her senses sharpened. She ate human food and drink, but regularly drank his blood. Only his, as all else appalled her. She far outlived a human lifespan, but eventually, she did die. He followed her in death, not bearing to live without her."

Kenshin paused, then said very quietly. "It will be the same ending for us, as well. I cannot survive without you, and I will not let anyone turn you into a vampire. So, I will go when you go."

Kaoru's mouth dropped in shock. She shook her head violently. "You can't! You can't end your life when I die. It isn't right!"

He smiled sadly at her, knowing it was his only choice. But they had a long time before that happened, so he forced the thought out of his mind. "Well, that will be many lifetimes from now. Rest, Kaoru, my love, my mate. We can continue this discussion another time."

She sighed, snuggling back down against his bare skin. They would touch on this topic again many times over the years, of that she was sure. "I love you, Kenshin." She murmured, closing her eyes with a yawn.

Kenshin chuckled again, running his fingers softly through her hair. "And I love you, Kaoru. Forever."

~Owari~

_Yay, it's finally done! I apologize to all who were waiting for this last chapter. We moved, and so for a while the internet wasn't hooked up. Then Word broke on the laptop, and out internet access has been sketchy, since our router is going out. I hope everyone is pleased by this chapter, even if it is a little odd. Thank you so much to all those who have read this story. Until the next story, then. Ja ne, minna-san!_


End file.
